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Where have all the flowers gone?

(18 Posts)
Greyduster Sun 17-Oct-21 22:41:57

I just thought I would bring you up to date with my recently totally denuded fuschia. Much to my delight it has had an unexpected resurrection!

Callistemon Thu 02-Sept-21 22:48:05

The elephant hawk moth is a large pink and olive green moth but it is the larvae that are often found in gardens especially on fuchsia. The caterpillars are usually brown and reach 8cm in length with a ‘horn’ at the rear end.

www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=870

NfkDumpling Thu 02-Sept-21 22:11:25

The elephant hawk moths which denuded my fuschia only stripped this one plant. Left everything else including other fuschias. Apparently once full and fat, they take themselves off to pupate in hidden places. How do you spell pupate? My spell checker really doesn't like it!

Greyduster Tue 31-Aug-21 16:41:14

Well, having examined all the possibilities I’m flummoxed, but it seems that the only thing that is actually stated to eat fuschia flowers is the aforementioned elephant hawk moth. No sign of caterpillars, and it doesn’t appear to have paid any attention to the other fuschia that are in pots around the place. Thank you, one and all, for putting your brain cells to the wheel on my behalf. Though it won’t bring back my lovely plant, it is much appreciated!

BlueBelle Mon 30-Aug-21 18:03:38

My bugbear is cabbage white caterpillars they have completely decimated things for me
these are my sprouts ?

shysal Mon 30-Aug-21 17:32:04

I had an elephant hawkmoth caterpillar in my garden last year. They prefer to eat Rosebay Willowherb, Himalayan Balsam or Bedstraw.

cornergran Mon 30-Aug-21 15:35:40

Our perennial fuchsias have had very few flowers this year, plenty of leaves though just few blooms. Can't add anything to the suggestions already made other than to wonder if you know anyone with one of those outdoor cameras who might be able to set it up to keep watch - could solve the mystery.

Daisymae Mon 30-Aug-21 15:03:20

Squirrels? They seem to have a penchant for just about anything!

25Avalon Mon 30-Aug-21 14:35:48

Could it be the Elephant Hawk Moth?

Elless Mon 30-Aug-21 14:23:23

Never see anything like this, my front garden is full of fuschias in homage to my Dad and we are plagued with pigeons but they don't touch them.

Septimia Mon 30-Aug-21 14:04:40

Do you get pheasants? They take the flowers off the bunches that are put on graves in our churchyard.

crazyH Mon 30-Aug-21 13:54:47

That’s so strange ! My fuschia on the other hand is full of leaves, hardly any flowers ?

Greyduster Mon 30-Aug-21 13:52:35

Thank you for the replies. We can rule out deer and rabbits, and we do have pigeons but I’ve never seen them pay any attention to the fuchsia - they’re usually nibbling on the thyme. I’ll keep an eye on them though, and also look for caterpillars, though there’s very little left for them to strip now. I wondered if it could be mice, though I’ve never seen any sign of them.

NfkDumpling Mon 30-Aug-21 13:39:14

Hawk moth caterpillars did the same to a large and strong flowering fuchsia in our garden several years ago. Stripped it bare in a couple of days. They're quite a large caterpillar but I only found three of them. Have a look around the base.

shysal Mon 30-Aug-21 13:34:52

Do you have deer visiting? They tend to do this type of damage to roses in my neighbourhood.

Septimia Mon 30-Aug-21 13:18:39

Rabbits or pigeons - they're eating everything they can find in my garden. I've just sent or some spray to see if that will keep them off - it's supposed to work for rabbits, pigeons and deer.

JaneJudge Mon 30-Aug-21 12:02:42

Rabbits? they are eating everything in my garden and they only go in it when I am in bed!

Greyduster Mon 30-Aug-21 11:58:08

I have a small perennial fuchsia that comes up in the corner of my rockery wall every year and flowers until the first frost. Today I found that every flower and bud except for two have been removed, leaving only short section of stem. There is no sign of the missing flowers which common sense should tell one should be lying about if nothing has eaten them. So what is eating my fuchsia flowers? Any ideas, gardening folks?