"David P" wrote in message
...
In article ,
says...
We have just discovered one of our shrubs, a late-flowering
ceanothus,
dying on one side. On searching there has been a neat removal of
the
bark right round the trunk near the base. It has been completely
stripped off and looks as if it has been cut off with a knife as
it is
so perfect! Is this the work of a hare as we do have a couple
around? If so, I'll put a cage round it.

Unlikely to be a hare IMO. You say the bark is completely stripped
in a
full circle all the way round - you don't have any 2 legged pests do
you?
--
David
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David,

Funnily enough the two legged pest idea was our worry, but we couldn't
understand why he/she would only tackle one shrub. Our nearest
neighbours are a quarter of a mile away. We are very rural with
masses of trees and shrubs in three acres. Why would they select one
ceanothus? A few years ago we had some very neat cuts on various
shrubs, i.e. brooms, hibiscus, etc. It was a cut which looked as if
it was done by secateurs, neat and diagonal. However, a friend then
said it was hares and showed us their damage. Identical.

A mystery.

Iris McCanna