Who do you think keeps biting mint?

[RangerMyles]

I saw an old picture with small bits in my mint(the pictures are not very good). Who do you think it is?

Who do you think is biting my mint?

• Bugs
• Monsters
• Ants
• Other(please comment)

[Ajott]

Depenting on where you are, my first wild guess in the dark would be leaf beetles… :-)

[ppinat]

My mint (Germany) is eaten by small slugs or snails when it grows again after winter.

[DriftlessRoots]

It could be me. I like mint.

[deanbayliss]

I also vote @DriftlessRoots

also aren’t ants bugs themselves

[kristendiesburg]

If you want to be technical about it, ants are not bugs. “Bug” or “true bug” is the common name for Hemiptera, a specific Order of insects that includes things like stink bugs. All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Ants are in a different Order, Hymenoptera, which includes insects like bees and wasps.

[fishkeeper]

If “bugs” in this poll refers to true bugs, it needs more entries for all the creatures which are not true bugs or ants, but will eat plants. Slugs, beetles, and grasshoppers come to mind. If “bugs” is a colloquialism, then, yes, that would include ants.

[deanbayliss]

I did not know this!
But from the context, I thought bugs was more a colloquialism (more like what @fishkeeper said)
the more u kno

[naahraf]

Have you seen any caterpillars on it? I tend to get some on my mint plants: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/54872738
There were a few holes in the mint leaves. I didn’t see the caterpillar actually eating the mint though, but I also didn’t see any other ‘bugs’ around the plant.

[dominid]

Hey @naahraf welcome to the forum.

[fishkeeper]

“Bug” is very often used as a colloquialism. Most people, when they call something a bug, mean… just about any terrestrial arthropod. I’ve used it to refer to small shrimp. People referring to the actual bugs usually just call them “true bugs” at this point. Personally, I’m fine with this- “bug” as a colloquialism is a useful term, and “true bugs” is clear enough.

Where on the mint were the holes? Were the holes just damage to the edges of the leaves, or holes through the middle parts?

[junior84]

I think we won’t ever know ´til we catch the real culprit :)

[lia_the_naturalist]

I think it’s definitely a monster.

[haida_gwaii]

I just planted two types and found tiny slugs on the purple one.

[RangerMyles]

I’m just replying to keep topic unlocked so later I can add who took the mint.

[ray_robinson]

In my garden it seems to usually be immature snails and slugs, but now and then grasshoppers.

[junior84]

good idea. they shall NOT consume the mint :)

i am a mint fan and I love mint tea so…

[RangerMyles]

Do you have pictures? Maybe post them to iNaturalist so we can see as well as try and figure out the species!

[RangerMyles]

The thrift was found! It was those evil dinosaurs! Here is the picture I took…

Okay, it wasn’t. I looked out my window today and it was a caterpillar!