Pepper problem

[PMW]

My pepper (California Wonder) plants are now busy producing lots of fruit, but as they ripen they all seem to be developing these holes. Can anyone help with what is likely to be the cause?

[zazen999]

Have you got little caterpillars inside when you split one open?

[PMW]

Just opened those three up to check and there is no sign of anything inside. I guess its possible something has been nibbling its way in and out again though.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sure looks like some kind off worm/maggot, have the peppers got any smaller holes in them as well as the large one?

Colin

[zazen999]

And have the leaves got any holes or caterpillars underneath them?

[PMW]

A few of the leaves have been nibbled by something, but I can't find any caterpillars or sign of the critters responsible. I assumed it was probably slugs or snails operating under cover of darkness.

As far as I can tell it seems to be one main hole in the peppers. Other than the 3 in the photo and 2 previously removed, there is only one other pepper on the plants with a small hole along with quite a few small peppers developing. Guess I'll just have to keep watch and cross my fingers.

The plants are also in with some chilli pepper plants which don't seem to be affected though although their leaves have been nibbled a bit.

[taff]

are they outside? if they are, might be mice...the rats kept eating them up the tunnel. Until they got cats..

[The Large One]

i'd say slugs

i had terrible trouble last year with the same kind of holes in my chillis, this year been keeping on top of it with pellets, missed sprinkling some last week and noticed tonight a hole on the shoulder of one of my Hungarian HW

[rana]

I've seen this problem with my peppers in the past and have put it down to slugs and snails. funnily enough they don't seem to touch the leaves.

[mick2501]

looks like slugs to me we had same problem before

[Potstubsdustbins]

If the pepper with the small hole suddenly gets a large hole it could possibly be a type of maggot. Your not seeing it because it developes in the pepper.

Colin

[Creemteez]

I think it's slugs. The same thing happened to my chillies last year! I actually caught the culprit in the act - chilli juice all over its chops!

[Two_Sheds]

The marks on the 3rd one's stem look like slugs have grazed/rasped it, and the holes: could have been a caterpillar started the damage and the hole grew as the pepper grew... they've calloused over

[Gurberly]

To be honest it looks more like sun scald to me (well the initial cause)

The fruits may have been damaged much earlier in the season (that long hot peiod in spring before we had the summer that never was).

Google sun scald peppers

G

[susiewoosie]

I'm glad I saw this post. My peppers have the same problem. Today I found 4 slugs and and earwig all dispatched now. I've looked for caterpillars but haven't found any. Think I will be putting some slug pellets down tomorrow.
thanks