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Are these droppings? Whose?

pariatepariate Posts: 77
in Problem solving
I was conducting a seek and destroy mission against aphids.  I found these funny little things on the ground underneath an aquilegia and cranesbill.  When squished they definitely feel like a dropping of some sort.  Our entire garden consists of containers, we have no grass, we live on a courtyard which was entirely concreted when these buildings were erected.  If we have a little rodent of some description there aren't many places it could be hiding!  

They don't look like any mouse droppings I've ever seen but I can't think what else they could be other than droppings.  Does anyone have any ideas please?  The cocktail stick has been included for scale reference.  We own five tape measures and I can't find a single one...  :D  I guess you could also use the aphids for scale...





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  • FireFire Posts: 17,338
    edited June 2018
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  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,964
    Caterpillars?

    Utah, USA.
  • pariatepariate Posts: 77
    Caterpillar droppings?  Funny, I'd never even considered what happens after caterpillars eat all those leaves...   :D:D:D  If they came out of a caterpillar then I'm very happy indeed.  I do everything I can to encourage pollinators.  :)
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    Are you sure they aren't squirrel Fire?
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • pariatepariate Posts: 77
    herbaceous said:
    Are you sure they aren't squirrel Fire?
    I Googled squirrel droppings and they look as though they're a very different shape - the ones I've found are quite round, whereas squirrel droppings look a similar shape to mouse droppings, long and oval, more like rice.

  • pariatepariate Posts: 77
    There are a few munched leaves on the plants but if there are caterpillar droppings I'm very surprised not to see more signs of caterpillars on the leaves...
  • pariatepariate Posts: 77
    Ugh.  And now I've just found some vine weevils...  :'(
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318
    You have my sympathy pariate! I only asked because I had some similar droppings and concluded they must be the squirrel who sits under my bird feeders.
    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • FireFire Posts: 17,338
    Caterpillar looks a good match for shape (re Google images) but I can't get a sense of size (despite the toothpick).
  • pariatepariate Posts: 77
    Fire said:
    Caterpillar looks a good match for shape (re Google images) but I can't get a sense of size (despite the toothpick).
    Lol.  Fair enough!  I need to dig out a tape measure, I know there's one around here somewhere.  Chaos reigns, as per usual!
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