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anybody know what eats mayapple blossoms?
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Posted by dirtgirl So. Illinois (My Page) on Sat, Apr 7, 07 at 22:41
Something in my yard has developed a taste for the buds on the mayapples. I didn't plant these--they are totally wild and as such are fair game to all nibblers--but I have never noticed anything just picking off the upopened blossoms and leaving everything else. The whorl of leaves is usually lying on the ground close by, or else still dangling by a shred of stem tissue. They don't appear to be eaten. All that appears to be left of the future blossom is the short stem. I saw deer tracks all around, but the turkeys hang out there as well.
Not a problem, I'm just curious if anybody with a woodland yard has seen animals selectively going after mayapple buds....never noticed this before and there is a TON of other stuff to browse on...at least there was before the freeze... |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: anybody know what eats mayapple blossoms?
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Hi dirtgirl!
I see rabbits biting various leaves of other plants off and leaving them on the ground. I wonder if they are after the water in them? All our thousands of may apples look so sad now.........the freeze really got to them. :( |
RE: anybody know what eats mayapple blossoms?
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| I would say rabbits or groundhogs...most likely rabbits. Barb
southern Ontario, CANADA |
RE: anybody know what eats mayapple blossoms?
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just a thought but a recent show on t.v. told me that a native turtle/tortoise is the primary seed dispersing agent for these plants. think it's too early for them to be out?
the blossoms and fruit are at just the right height for them to reach.
of course, could have been squirrels or anything that was hungry. |
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