What has eaten my lettuces

[Sanjo]

I planted out a dozen well grown seedlings yesterday afternoon. In a raised bed, fully netted so I know it can't be sparrows.
I also put down bio slug pellets.
EVERY SINGLE lettuce has gone now, not a sign of them.
I had also sown a row of radishes previously and practically all of them disappeared within a couple of days, just a few bits of stalk and the tiny radish part left.
I have already had a problem like this in another bed and am currently growing Caliente in that bed in an effort to fumigate it.
Any ideas anyone please.
It's very disheartening to say the least

[Shadylane]

I'd say slugs as I can't see it being anything else. Maybe they had the pellets for a main and your lettuce for dessert. I planted out a row of winter lettuce one autumn, protected under a cloche, all reasonable size and the next time I went up, all mown down. Not sure about the radishes though - do slugs eat radish? I always had problems with flea beetle taking tiny nibbles but not slugs.

[Sanjo]

Thanks for reply Shady. The lettuces aren't mown down. They are completely GONE!! I have been doing some research on the web and I am wondering whether it is cutworm. I haven't seen any noticeable grubs though. I think tonight I'll put a pot or something down and see what appears underneath.

[Two_Sheds]

It will be slugs and/or snails. Cutworms "cut" the stem, so the plant falls over

There are obviously more snails than pellets, so they're able to eat your plants still. Go out at night with a torch and a bucket of salt to sprinkle on them.
Repeat until you start to see a real decline in numbers

(I used to catch over 1000 in a night, in my small suburban garden)

[Sanjo]

Thanks T.S. I have been out and dug around the soil the lettuces were in and there were no signs of grubs, snails etc. As I said I did use the bio pellets but was sparing with them. Also it rained heavily after I put them down so that may have helped the pellets disappear. I have now put down a black tray and shall see what appears under there tonight. Ah well, they are well fed, even if I won't be!

[Sanjo]

Well I checked under the tray this morning and all that was there was one small black slug and a light brown, almost translucent one with a thin strip down its back.
Have now put down more bio slug pellets because the little **** are now after the beetroot. Definitely not birds as it's all netted.

[andy_j]

Get yourself a cheap can of beer and make some slug pubs.....That'll catch them !!!!

Clutching at straws a bit but could it be mice ?

[Shadylane]

How odd. Maybe you have stealth slugs. Bit odd them going for beetroot though, in my experience that's one of the few things that gets munched. Maybe that's just me though.

[Sanjo]

Well I'll get the little blighters one way or another. Could be mice I suppose. We have had field mice in the past but that was usually in the winter. I'll have to pinch a bit of the old man's beer.
Come to that, I shall be filtering the wine at the week-end. I expect the dregs of that would work as well?
Thanks all

[Shadylane]

Been down the allotment today and I've lost some more lettuce to rabbits. Could it possibly be them?

[Sanjo]

Hi Shadylane. Never seen a rabbit (apart from the pet kind) in our 44 years here.
Now foxes - that's different story and because of them the OH is adamant no chickens, well that and holidays to be fair.
The whole bed is netted to over 5' high with a roof, so no birds or other animamals have been in, no sign of damage to the netting either or I would have suspected the damned squirrel.
They are all fighting me for my produce. I was slow to start this year so I really begrudge what I do manage to germinate getting eaten by something other than me!

[Two_Sheds]

It's slugs and snails. Go out at night with a torch and you'll catch them at it