What's eating my striped squill?

Striped Squill (Puschkinia scilloides) is a small, early spring bulb similar to Chionodoxa, with minimal serious pest problems. Squirrels and mice dig up and eat the small bulbs in autumn. Slugs nibble early emerging shoots in late winter. Aphids may briefly colonise flower stems. The plant's early season and quick die-back after flowering limit exposure to most summer pests.

Bulbs dug up and eaten shortly after autumn planting; disturbed mulch and missing plants Place chicken wire mesh just below the soil surface; add sharp grit in planting holes; interplant with daffodil bulbs to deter rodents

Nibbled or ragged leaf tips and flower stems on plants emerging in late winter and early spring Apply iron phosphate pellets around clumps as shoots emerge; use a grit mulch around the base; hand-pick on mild, wet evenings

Small sticky colonies on flower stems and leaves; minor distortion of tender growth Dislodge with a water jet or apply insecticidal soap; natural predator populations usually build up in time to limit damage on this early-season species