Who is the thief?

[DannyK]

My petit muscat apricot was gradually stripped. The fruit were coloured but unripe. I found apricot halves all over the garden. Something seems to have eaten the stones.

Some sort of gages, fruit dark blue but bullet hard. All of it disappeared in a day or two when it was raining and unable to check. Not a trace of it on the ground.

Irish Peach apples likewise a week later.

Suspects are squirrels, parakeets, rats or mice.

There is no easy access for scrumpers.

[Thelma Sanders]

I'd lay odds on squirrels being the culprits!

[nickdub]

if it had been rats or mice you usually find nibbled stones where they eat through to get at the kernel - so I'd rule them out from your description - doesn't sound much like squirrel damage either, though they can do all sorts - not got parakeets round here, but they'd be my bet.

[DannyK]

- not got parakeets round here, but they'd be my bet.

They'll get to you in due course. We didn't have them when we moved in. They don't tend to take apples, just bite damned great chunks out.

[Can the Man]

I’d be inclined to think squirrels �� seeing as the apricot stones are missing and the fruit left behind.