Q. Your advice has helped
me get a couple of dozen figs off my relatively young trees this year. However, the attached photos show where there
were two figs a few days ago and now they are entirely eaten. I have a net over them so I don’t think it’s
birds and I cannot see bugs anywhere on the plant.
 |
| Figs eaten, possibly rats |
A. Any animal that is an omnivore will eat figs. Birds
usually peck at the fruit and it is obvious the remaining fruit was pecked
apart by a bird. Birds get under netting unless it is tightly pinned to the
ground. You can visualize where the bird landed on the branch and did its
damage.
usually peck at the fruit and it is obvious the remaining fruit was pecked
apart by a bird. Birds get under netting unless it is tightly pinned to the
ground. You can visualize where the bird landed on the branch and did its
damage.
June beetles are flying now and they will also devour
figs. They seem to prefer yellow or white figs. However, the bird netting
should keep them out. These insects will be gone in a couple of weeks and your
tree will continue to produce fruit.
figs. They seem to prefer yellow or white figs. However, the bird netting
should keep them out. These insects will be gone in a couple of weeks and your
tree will continue to produce fruit.
 |
| Pomegranate fruit definitely by rat |
Other critters, like rats, eat them ripe or unripe and
leave exactly what you are seeing; the fruit entirely gone except it’s stem
still attached to the tree. Look at where the fruit was eaten and ask yourself
the question, “Is the branch strong enough to support the weight of a rat?” If
the answer is yes, you know rats are in the area, it looks like a rat ate it
then it probably did.
leave exactly what you are seeing; the fruit entirely gone except it’s stem
still attached to the tree. Look at where the fruit was eaten and ask yourself
the question, “Is the branch strong enough to support the weight of a rat?” If
the answer is yes, you know rats are in the area, it looks like a rat ate it
then it probably did.
Other possibilities include ground
squirrels. They like to steal grapes when they are ripe and can climb trees as
easily as rats. Ground squirrels will completely clean out almond trees
overnight.