Pest identification
What's eating my crocus 'jeanne d'arc'?
Squirrels and mice
Signs: Corms dug up and eaten or cached; bare patches where bulbs were planted; no emergence in spring.
Control: Cover planting areas with chicken wire pegged flat; plant corms inside wire mesh cages or baskets; use squirrel-deterrent sprays.
Birds (sparrows, house sparrows)
Signs: Flower petals and tepals torn off or missing; blooms destroyed before they fully open.
Control: Drape fine netting loosely over beds during bloom; use stretched black cotton thread 10 cm above blooms as a deterrent.
Voles
Signs: Corms eaten underground with no surface disturbance visible until plants fail to emerge.
Control: Plant in wire mesh baskets sunk into the soil; reduce ground cover vegetation near beds where voles tunnel.
Keep crocus 'jeanne d'arc' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Crocus 'Jeanne d'Arc' pests — FAQ
What is eating my crocus 'jeanne d'arc'?
Crocus 'Jeanne d'Arc' (white, large-flowered vernus) is frequently targeted by squirrels and mice, which dig up and eat corms. Birds — especially sparrows and house sparrows — peck off blooms for the nectar. Voles tunnel underground to the corms. Slugs damage emerging shoots, but the main threats are animals.
How do I get rid of squirrels and mice on crocus 'jeanne d'arc'?
Corms dug up and eaten or cached; bare patches where bulbs were planted; no emergence in spring. Cover planting areas with chicken wire pegged flat; plant corms inside wire mesh cages or baskets; use squirrel-deterrent sprays.
How do I get rid of birds (sparrows, house sparrows) on crocus 'jeanne d'arc'?
Flower petals and tepals torn off or missing; blooms destroyed before they fully open. Drape fine netting loosely over beds during bloom; use stretched black cotton thread 10 cm above blooms as a deterrent.
How do I get rid of voles on crocus 'jeanne d'arc'?
Corms eaten underground with no surface disturbance visible until plants fail to emerge. Plant in wire mesh baskets sunk into the soil; reduce ground cover vegetation near beds where voles tunnel.