I find it interesting that the rodents here seem to prefer squash to melons
I have netting over my squash, but something keeps finding a way inside to gnaw, then getting out again w/o getting snagged - quite a trick
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Lois, could they be coming inside the net from under ground, like voles using mole tunnels or their own diggings? So do you see any holes in the ground under the netting?
I have to plant some things in those dollar store wire baskets in order to keep rodents from getting to them. I noticed the other day that my unprotected evergreen scallions were flopping over. The underground rodents ate their roots and part of the base.
Quite possible, Anne - I had similar damage on my potatoes, just underground. And I’m overrun with voles since I lost my hunting cat 2 years ago.
But I don’t see any tunnels, and I’d have to remove the netting to check under the huge leaves. Right now, the mature squash have hardening shells and the varmint is concentrating on the soft green second flush - not going to ripen anywayhow this time of year, so I leave them as a trap to save the mature ones.
If it’s voles, I could resort to my previous practice of ziplocking the fruits instead of the net, which was supposed to be better at keeping out the squirrels, which can go right through the bag
OOTC: I used to bag the melons, too
I had to get me some more cats , they just do such a good job of controlling the small rodents here. I currently have two adult females withe kittens. They really kick their hunting into overdrive when the kittens start to get big enough to eat meat.
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I have two dogs, and they are huge “Cat Lovers”(as food mainly, I guess 
), so cats out of question for me. Not that I am afraid for the cats’ well been, the dogs were not able to catch anything alive other then snails and caterpillars yet, but in their chase process my vegetables will be the victims
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