What ate my seedling?

Question

I grow tomatoe plants in my crawl space under lights. This year, I had a good germination ratio and the little plants were pushing up into the plastic covers. I decided it was time to take off the covers. Bad move. I went down to the crawl this week to discover that most of the seedlings had their two little leave chewed off. The trays are on the ground, so either a mouse or insect did the deed. I have a

mouse trap set, and needless to say have replanted the seedlings with the covers

back on. This never happened before, so I am now on notice. Wondering if the little shoots without the top leaves will survive? I added some new seeds, just in case they don't.

Sherwin D.

Pat Kiewicz · Accepted Answer

I regularly find sowbugs* that have (most likely) wandered into the lower level of the house from the front crawlspace. While they aren't usually a pest outdoors, where they have plenty of opportunities to find moisture and food, they probably would find an assemblage of moist soil and tender seedlings in the middle of a mostly barren crawlspace absolutely irresistable. (This is just a flat-out guess.) Dusting the area around and under the flat with a heavy coat of diatomaceous earth might help.

And the decapitated plants likely won't make it, or will be extremely stunted if they do manage not to die.

*pill bug, rolly-polly, slater, wood louse, armadillo bug -- they go by many names. They are most properly isopods, and are crustaceans.

What ate my seedling?

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