Decapitated tulips (no chain saw in sight)

What would snip off he heads of tulips as they are about to bloom? My mother thinks it is squirrels but I thought I once heard of some sort of worm/bug/catipillar that did that -- anyone know the correct answer? The buds are never eaten. They're just lying next to the flower, snipped so close to the top that they can't even be put in water to bloom.

Giselle (I just can't picture squirrels out there with teeny little scissors massacring tulips for no particular reason...)

Reply to
"Fragile Warrior" Volfie
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Definitely Squirrels! I've seen them. I tried the natural way of dissuading them (mixture of cayenne pepper and butter to hold it in place right under the blooms) I think they liked that even better.

After that I used automotive grease under there (just d> What would snip off he heads of tulips as they are about to bloom? My

Reply to
Robert Chambers

Rabbits too. I have seen them do exactly that and have not bought any tulips after that disheartening experience.

Jean B.

Robert Chambers wrote:

Reply to
Jean B.

Deer and woodchucks.

Jean B. wrote:

Reply to
William W. Plummer

Deer get mine as soon as they are ready to bloom.

Ellen

Reply to
Ellen

Reply to
VMWOOD

In my neighborhood, we call squirrels 'little bastards' for what they do to the tulips.

Reply to
Jack

Okay, squirrels it is. Does anyone have a theory about the snipping of yon tulip heads by the miserable, fuzzy tailed rodents?

Giselle (is it just some teen-squirrel rite of passage perhaps? Akin with smacking mailboxes with baseball bats and TPing trees for human youth?)

Reply to
"Fragile Warrior" Volfie

"\"Fragile Warrior\" Volfie" wrote in news:d5p2ja$163j$ snipped-for-privacy@news.iquest.net:

Are the tulips mostly red shades? Around here the 'furry-tailed rats' are really attracted to reddish objects, mostly my neighbor's lily buds and ripening tomatoes.

Reply to
Richard

"\"Fragile Warrior\" Volfie" wrote in news:d5p2ja$163j$ snipped-for-privacy@news.iquest.net:

Thanks a lot. I was looking forward watching the conclusion on CSI: Animal Planet. j/k :-)

Reply to
Salty Thumb

Sorry. Should have put a *spoiler* on the post.

:D

Reply to
"Fragile Warrior" Volfie

Thanks for the heads up on squirrels and red. I never put the 2 together, but now that you mention it .... Those miserable rats with fuzzy tails chomped off my red tulips before they opened, regularly pick tomato after tomato, taking 1 bite and leaving the rest on the ground to rot, and devour the inside fruit of my my Chinese lanterns just as they color up. Danged varmits!!!!

Suzy O, Zone 5

Reply to
Suzy O

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