Persistent pests
Which are the worst pests – those with two legs, four legs, six legs or no legs at all? Bob investigates
OUR crops are prey to many critters, both big and small. There are a mix of threats, and over decades of answering gardening queries I have noticed these have changed somewhat. Birds, those two-legged devils, have always been both gardeners’ delights and annoyances. Many birds do us so much good with their bug control, and then go and spoil our fruit and steal our seedlings. By far the worst damage is caused by woodpigeons, which have become a plague in many areas. However, if you make the effort, birds are fairly easy to exclude with cloches, nets and fleece.
Far harder to keep out of anywhere are the traditional four-legged fiends. These include mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels and those overlooked voles, which are often culprits when other rodents get the blame. All are difficult to stop and the only thing to be said in their favour is at least they’re not badgers! There’s very little you can do, practically or legally, to stop badgers trashing your garden, and whereas they were once scarce, they are now on the increase. Still, on the bright side, they will keep the neighbours’ cats away. Likewise, deer were seldom a problem in the past, but they are now becoming bolder, especially the little muntjac. However, these can be kept out with good fencing.
Then we move on to six legs, the insect friends and persistent foes with their well-known ways of bothering us. Vine weevils, mealy bugs, aphids, cabbage white butterflies – the list is legion. And that list is constantly changing as new pests arrive from around the world.
So which of these do I suggest are the most persistent cause of serious losses to almost each and every one of us? Those with no legs – the slugs and snails, of course. I’d better take action right away…
“Badger numbers are now on the increase”