Forum home› Problem solving

What's stealing moss from the greenhouse

LesleyTLesleyT Posts: 18
in Problem solving

Hi all

I'm at my in-laws house in Berkshire and they have something getting into the greenhouse, stealing moss. This morning it was strewn across the lawn. There was a smallish sloppy poo just outside the door which I did not recognise.

There are also holes being dug in the lawn about the size of a golf ball plus one large hole. A large dogs bone was also discovered on the lawn but a dog didn't bring it in. There are a lot of foxes round here, but i'm suspecting a badger is pinching the moss for bedding. I don't know if foxes would do this.

Can anyone help to identify what might have such a busy night in the garden.

There is a lot of woodland about and about 1 mile away is forestry ground.

Cheers x

«1

Posts

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,574

    It sounds like more than one culprit. For a start, how does the moss stealer get into the greenhouse. Are the doors or louvred windows left open and, if so, by how far? 

    Badger poo is thick, black and strong smelling. Looks like someone dropped a cupful of melted dark chocolate.

    Badgers dig holes but not small ones.

     

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • EsspeeEsspee Posts: 274

    I caught grey squirrels making golf ball size holes on the lawn, probably to hide nuts and seeds.

  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601

    Badgers do make small holes as well as big ones. They move across the grass, digging up bugs as they go, so you can see groups and trails of holes in the morning. The poo is more difficult. Badgers tend to make a special hole and poo in it regularly to mark their territory, so one poo on the ground is more likely to be a cat or fox - unless one was caught short! In my garden, rooks gather moss, but only when building nests in late winter and early spring.

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 33,759

    hedgehogs stealing it for hibernation?

     

    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,782

    Don't think so Hosta - too early, and anyway they like dry leaves/grasses.

    My suspicion falls on birds looking for the worms/grubs that lurk in moss.

    Don't know about the bone ...  one idea - seagulls will take stuff like that and then sqabble over it and drop it randomly.

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    Don't think it's badgers their very big,it could be mice or birds but it could be to late for birdsimage
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 82,782

    Smallish holes in the lawn in autumn is often starlings/crows/rooks looking for chafer grubs.

    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • LesleyTLesleyT Posts: 18

    Wow thanks everyone!

    The bone was very large and very heavy. That may be something else.

    The poo however was outside the greenhouse where the door is always wide open. The poo was sloppy very black and about 2" in diameter. The moss was a huge lump which had been dragged out. Enough to line about 10 hanging baskets.

    We have gone back home now, so can't watch what's going on.

    And the poo didn't have white streaks it was just black, as Pansyface described it, it looked like melted dark chocolate.

  • pansyfacepansyface Posts: 21,574

    Maybe a badger cub having a bit of a lark.image

    I can recommend putting a trail cam down for a few nights.

    Apophthegm -  a big word for a small thought.
    If you live in Derbyshire, as I do.
  • GorgurugaGorguruga Posts: 57
    LesleyT wrote (see)

    Wow thanks everyone!

    The bone was very large and very heavy. That may be something else.

    The poo however was outside the greenhouse where the door is always wide open. The poo was sloppy very black and about 2" in diameter. The moss was a huge lump which had been dragged out. Enough to line about 10 hanging baskets.

    We have gone back home now, so can't watch what's going on.

    And the poo didn't have white streaks it was just black, as Pansyface described it, it looked like melted dark chocolate.

    You could set up a night vision camera in the greenhouse if it becomes an ongoing problem?

    Here's a motion-detector with night vision for under £50: 

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Foscam-FI8918W-Wireless-Camera-Viewing/dp/B0046710G6/ 

    Needs an internet connection to store the video/images onto a computer. And you could actually view the video of the greenhouse from wherever you are (if you connect it to your Iphone or computer). In other words, you could watch the greenhouse live and in real-time yourself without having to be at your in-laws home. Pretty cool tech image

     

Sign In or Register to comment.