What's eating my crops?

[kentvegplot]

I have noticed some tiny holes in some of the sweet peppers in the tunnel, and some shredded leaves although no sign of caterpillars. Can flea beetle do all this damage? Someone suggested it could be earwigs, but I thought they just fed on the debris.

Any ideas please?

[bubblewrap]

I have noticed some tiny holes in some of the sweet peppers in the tunnel, and some shredded leaves although no sign of caterpillars. Can flea beetle do all this damage? Someone suggested it could be earwigs, but I thought they just fed on the debris.

Any ideas please?

if your peppers are on the ground it could be the obvious
slugs & snails.
Had same prob my self a friend said they are better in pots on staging

[Alice]

I think the tiny holes are likely to be flea beetle, Kentvegplot. Yes they can do all that damage. They can turn your crops into doillies. The shredded leaves are likely to be something else though - slugs or snails.

[roitelet]

I have found caterpilllars living inside peppers, don't know what sort they are but they make holes in the peppers and then take up residence

[Flummery]

Eurgh! I bet if they are chillies they have to get out regularly for a glass of milk!

[srodders]

I'm getting a lot of problems with caterpillers eating everything at the mo.

[sewer rat]

I have my chillies in pots on staging in my tunnel but there are still a few with holes in the leaves - nothing drastic but maybe I'll have a closer look tomorrow .......

[serenity]

i have had same problem on my sweet peppers and put it down to the slugs and snails which keep apearing in there. the plants are too tall for staging so i scattered organic slug pelets on the greenhouse floor, doesn't stop the snails though, they climb across the glass . last year i had the problem mentioned earlier with lots of little magotty creatures living inside the peppers so this ma be my last year growing them