new and need help please

Have a terrible problem with not only leaves being munched to their stems,but the flowers on primroses, crocus and daffodils, infact most of all the spring flowers. Have used the normal "bug off" stuff from Homebase etc and slug pellets and just about everything else off the shelves that says it gets rid of whitefly through to caterpillars etc......any suggestions please?

 

Def not rabbits, the dog would never allow that.

 

I've had collared Doves that seemed to be addicted to Spring blooms..they pecked at anything with a flower ,except Snowdrops though?..A dose of lead did the trick but I did have to apply it early in the morning

 

we do get doves around here, but again the dog chases them out of the garden before they get near the flowers.Have found one or two small caterpillars, but hsve used "sprays" that are meant to get rid of them! Does anyone know if they is a pellet form or simliar that can be put into the soil to keep the pests away?

 

Hi Sylvia, it could be keel slugs, small snails, or in the case of the flowers being damaged, earwigs. David.

 

anything specific that I can use for earwigs? I use stuff for snails and slugs etc? Thanks

 

You don't want to be killing the earwigs off Silvia! They are very useful litter critters and eat lots of the baddies up.

 

If it was caterpillars on primroses then I would expect holes in the leaves, rather than being munched right down to the stems and I would doubt they would go for the crocus. Same with daffodils would not expect either an insect or mollusc to be going for them.
If you have rabbits around then i would suspect them. the dog is only going to chase them when it sees them. Do you have the dog out 24 hours a day all through the night?If not then it will not deter rabbits. Such damage would mean hordes of slugs and snails and the plants would be covered with them.
I have had more caterpillars on my primroses and polyanthus, the mild winter has enabled them to survive. Big fat green ones but i find they munch holes in the leaves.

 

Its always a good idea to go out after dark with a torch and have a look.
Chances are that all the munching is going on at night.