Broad beans & squirrels (?)

[clarkac]

My mix of Aqualdulce & The Sutton - resown in Feb after not germinating in November - have done OK but are now being eaten by something.  The damage is extensive, with some pods being removed and eaten and others being opened and eaten but still on the plant.  I can only think this is squirrels as I can't imagine anything else - and I saw a squirrel the other day which is unusual for our allotments.  Have others seen this?  I am going to net them but am not sure if this will help.  Maybe I should buy a gigantic net & put it over whole allotment!!!

[clarkac]

[Digeroo]

Welcome to A4A clarkac .

I have had problems with squirrels digging up the sown broad bean seeds.    When they did not germinate I found that the seeds had totally disappeared and only a small dip in the soil and little scratch marks identified the culprit.   I have found them extremely adept at getting past netting.  They simply lift it up and pop underneath.  They can dig under, chew holes in it, and move it out of the way.  They have yet to be able to move plastic bottle cloches but this will not help a whole plant.  I have an old metal incinerator made of metal and upend it over things, it is too heavy for them to move.

I lost a lot a beans to deer last year, but they only seem to eat them when they are nearly dry.

[ipt8]

I reckon a squirrel has had my strawberries, I found about two dozen stashed at the base of a straw bale I covered in polythene.
I am using a Kania trap to try and kill it. It kills them outright but MUST be where children cannot get it as it is lethal. What have I baited it with - strawberries.