What’s eating my waterlilly?

Ann85

Hi we have a barrel pond and bought a waterlilly last week but something is eating it and even tearing the leaves. Pigeons? Water snails? Thanks for any help! Anna 

Fairygirl

I wonder if it could just be 'conventional' slugs/snails @Ann85? 
The foliage reaches the edges of your container, and if the little b***ers have a bridge to get across to something, they'll have a go. 

In my experience, the snails in ponds don't do much damage, but someone else might have seen that happen. 

Ann85

It could be although we have lots of birds and a hedgehog visitor so don’t actually get many snails and slugs! Yes I agree the little water snails and teeny tiny, or the ones I have seen…

Fairygirl

Even with lots of birds etc, you'll probably still have slugs and snails, and it's often those tiny ones you can hardly see that do the most damage. I found one yesterday on a phormium, and it was absolutely minute. Almost needed a magnifying glass to see it 

We have lots of wood pigeons, but I've never found them having a go at the water lilies, even when they were near enough for them to eat. 
Maybe you'll need a camera rigged up to see what's happening. 

Ann85

Fairygirl said:

Even with lots of birds etc, you'll probably still have slugs and snails, and it's often those tiny ones you can hardly see that do the most damage. I found one yesterday on a phormium, and it was absolutely minute. Almost needed a magnifying glass to see it 

We have lots of wood pigeons, but I've never found them having a go at the water lilies, even when they were near enough for them to eat. 
Maybe you'll need a camera rigged up to see what's happening. 

The wildlife camera is a great idea! We have an old one for seeing the hedgehogs on their rounds. Waterlilly-cam! 🧐

Fairygirl

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