WHAT ATE MY...

Teacher_Mike · August 21, 2006

SWEET CORN!!!???

OK - so I know this isn't tomato-related, but just LOOK at what *SOMETHING* did to my corn patch! Didn't pull the ears down, just shredded the husks and then promptly ate the kernels off the corn.

This happened weeks ago, which is why everything looks so old nd dry - I am just getting around to showing you all!
We got some corn, as we stayed slightly ahead of the little ★★★★heads... but they moved right down the patch, from the early to the later. I mean the WHOLE patch. We are lucky to have gotten 4 dozen ears from 8 thirty-foot rows of corn!!!

So - what do you think? Ideas? Anyone ever seen anything like this? Don't get too exotic here - this is south-central PA. This isn't like deer damage that I've seen...and I don't think raccoons would leave the ears still on and even upright on the stalk...

Of course, it's all too late now anyway, but I sure would like to know what you think!

(The corn was REALLY good, too...

)

Polar_Lace · August 21, 2006

Corn Earworm - Damage to Sweet Corn

European Corn Borer - Damage to Sweet Corn

Department of Horticulture Fact sheets, publications and related links are educational resources for gardeners and do-it-yourself landscapers.

Department of Horticulture - Vegetable Crop Resources

landarc · August 22, 2006

Did you pull the husks down, or were they shredded and pulled down like that? I have never seen a borer remove the husks.

Teacher_Mike · August 22, 2006

No, I didn't pull the husks down - whatever ate it pulled the husks down. Shredded them, actually.

Nope - wasn't borers. I know those. I do not believe this was an insect at all.

Any other guesses?

sliphorn · August 22, 2006

Someone playing a dirty trick on you? That, or a Chimpanzee.

**Lee** · August 22, 2006

Racoons would be my guess... but I'd think they would
pull the whole stalk down.... Maybe their friendly racoons....

Lee

tjg911 · August 22, 2006

Raccoons would be my guess too. They have an opposing thumb like humans and are extremely smart and resourceful. I think if you left a pad and pen out in the corn they'd figure out how to write you a thank you note.

Tom

landarc · August 22, 2006

Maybe it's some students that are really bummed that school is about to be back in session.

And no, I would suspect that racoons with pen and paper would leave some mocking limerick, not a thank you note.

Teacher_Mike · August 22, 2006

Raccoons - that was my guess too, but BIL and Dad thought they would AT LEAST pull the ear downwards when pulling on it, if not pull the whole stalk down. BIL actually guessed...SQUIRRELS.

Huh?

Yep - squirrels.

Now, that WOULD explain why the ear is still standing, but...do you REALLY think squirrels could or would do that much damage?

I'm still on raccoons, I think.

johno · January 25, 2007

Birds?

bcday · January 25, 2007

I guess squirrels, too. They LOVE fresh sweet corn. I gave up trying to raise sweet corn because the squirrels would get more than we did. But I don't remember exactly what the squirrel-chomped ears looked like, so I can't say if they were husked like that.

Raccoons are a possibility because they love corn too, but I would think that the weight of an adult raccoon would pull the whole corn stalk right over. Cornstalks don't generally right themselves again after that, you have to pull them upright and hill up the soil around the stalks to get them to stay up.

I just discovered that crows and other birds will peel the shucks off, so birds could have done it. Here's a list of photos of crop damage by various critters :
http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/...es/cropdamage/

Next year you could try doing what we did. A string tied to a buzzer was wrapped around all the cornstalks. When the critter climbed the cornstalk, that pulled the string tight and the buzzer went off. We'd all go tearing out to the corn patch yelling like maniacs and a squirrel would hightail it out of the corn. I don't know if birds would bend the cornstalks over far enough to pull the string, but any other critter probably would.

August 21, 2006	#1
Teacher_Mike Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Central PA Posts: 68	WHAT ATE MY... SWEET CORN!!!??? OK - so I know this isn't tomato-related, but just LOOK at what SOMETHING did to my corn patch! Didn't pull the ears down, just shredded the husks and then promptly ate the kernels off the corn. This happened weeks ago, which is why everything looks so old nd dry - I am just getting around to showing you all! We got some corn, as we stayed slightly ahead of the little ★★★★heads... but they moved right down the patch, from the early to the later. I mean the WHOLE patch. We are lucky to have gotten 4 dozen ears from 8 thirty-foot rows of corn!!! So - what do you think? Ideas? Anyone ever seen anything like this? Don't get too exotic here - this is south-central PA. This isn't like deer damage that I've seen...and I don't think raccoons would leave the ears still on and even upright on the stalk... Of course, it's all too late now anyway, but I sure would like to know what you think! (The corn was REALLY good, too... )

August 21, 2006	#2
Polar_Lace Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Z8b, Texas Posts: 657	Corn Earworm - Damage to Sweet Corn European Corn Borer - Damage to Sweet Corn Department of Horticulture Fact sheets, publications and related links are educational resources for gardeners and do-it-yourself landscapers. Department of Horticulture - Vegetable Crop Resources __________________ It's not how many seeds you sow. Nor how many plants you transplant. It's about how many of them can survive your treatment of them.

August 22, 2006	#3
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	Did you pull the husks down, or were they shredded and pulled down like that? I have never seen a borer remove the husks. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

August 22, 2006	#6
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Racoons would be my guess... but I'd think they would pull the whole stalk down.... Maybe their friendly racoons.... Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

August 22, 2006	#8
landarc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Left Coasty Posts: 964	Maybe it's some students that are really bummed that school is about to be back in session. And no, I would suspect that racoons with pen and paper would leave some mocking limerick, not a thank you note. __________________ Lets see...$10 for Worth and $5 for Fusion, man. Tomatoes are expensive! Bob

August 22, 2006	#5
sliphorn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 91	Someone playing a dirty trick on you? That, or a Chimpanzee.

August 22, 2006	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	Raccoons would be my guess too. They have an opposing thumb like humans and are extremely smart and resourceful. I think if you left a pad and pen out in the corn they'd figure out how to write you a thank you note. Tom

January 25, 2007	#10
johno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arkansas zone 6b Posts: 441	Birds?

January 25, 2007	#11
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	I guess squirrels, too. They LOVE fresh sweet corn. I gave up trying to raise sweet corn because the squirrels would get more than we did. But I don't remember exactly what the squirrel-chomped ears looked like, so I can't say if they were husked like that. Raccoons are a possibility because they love corn too, but I would think that the weight of an adult raccoon would pull the whole corn stalk right over. Cornstalks don't generally right themselves again after that, you have to pull them upright and hill up the soil around the stalks to get them to stay up. I just discovered that crows and other birds will peel the shucks off, so birds could have done it. Here's a list of photos of crop damage by various critters : http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/wildlife/...es/cropdamage/ Next year you could try doing what we did. A string tied to a buzzer was wrapped around all the cornstalks. When the critter climbed the cornstalk, that pulled the string tight and the buzzer went off. We'd all go tearing out to the corn patch yelling like maniacs and a squirrel would hightail it out of the corn. I don't know if birds would bend the cornstalks over far enough to pull the string, but any other critter probably would.