Perennials: What is cutting my coneflowers?, 1 by fleursdefouquet

fleursdefouquet wrote:
Something has started cutting my coneflowers about 4-5" from the ground. It looks like someone took a pair of scissors to them! Both flower and leaf stalks are being cut. So far, no other plant has been cut except a single stalk of butterfly weed. This first photo shows both a cut stalk (the bloom was just about to open - boohoo) and, if you look closely, the white spot is where it started cutting on the tallest stalk. I've searched for grasshoppers, caterpillars, etc. but didn't find anything. I don't think they would cut all the stalks at a uniform height as shown in the 2nd photo.

I suspect it was the rat that was living in our french drain system. Yes, WAS living in our drains. We trapped him last night (he loved butterfly brew). What do you think? Do rats eat coneflowers? I guess we will find out in the next couple of days...

Debra

Ooops! Got my photos in the wrong order. The partially cut stalk is in the next photo.



This message was edited Jun 12, 2007 8:15 AM