Well, this question could not have arrived at better time (for me at least), I just spotted this same phenomena with my Meyer lemon last week. I live in bay area, N. CA.

I saw exact symptom on one of my ripe meyer lemon fruits, but it was not hanging on tree. It dropped on the ground, but had only 40% peel bitten off. I've never seen that with my other citrus fruits like mature Navel Orange.

I consider following possibilities since I've spotted these animals in my yard:

(in the order of probability)
+ Rat (this is what I suspect culprit is)
+ Squirrel
+ Snails
+ Racoon
+ Cat

I am not sure that it's snails in my case since as far as I know there are no snails in the area where Meyer Lemon is located.

btw, I find META based product (Corry's) highly effective on snails and it's usable around veggies and fruit plants. I think it's biodegrable. You may purchase it at Costco or at hardware stores.

Tree rats and possums both eat the peels of citrus fruits. If the peel is sweet they will leave the fruit. Sometimes they will eat all the flesh and leave the peel.

I am in San Francisco and am having the same problem with my Meyer lemon tree-something is eating the rind off and leaving the inner fruit. They are working on the middle part of the tree. My boyfriend suspects an escaped monkey. We will look for snails and maybe set rat traps. Thanks

Snails were the culprit who denuded the fruits of my citrus. But it took me over a week to find them and put them to rest. You really have to look for them because they are experts in hide and seek. They had me puzzled for over 6 months. Snails were the last thing on my mind.

In an hour's time snails can travel a long distance. So at night after 2 hours after the sun went down, I 'harvested' snails in my bacyard every 20 minutes. After 4 nights I gathered well over 250 snails of different sizes. After that I did not see any more problem.

Hi,

I'm returning to gardenweb forums after disappearing for almost an year. Good to see that bencelest is still around to help. I wonder if rickjames and mrtexas are still around. I have not looked around in forums messages in detail yet.

In any case, in my case, it turned out to be rat. Since last year, we have had couple of cats hanging around in neighborhood and lemon peel problem has disappeared along with rats.

'Sup Nkt. Welcome back :)

So integrated pest management does work. Whaddya know.

thanks, rickjames.I am finding that my gardening urges surge in late winter/spring and puts me in mood to get/plant new cirtus varieties. However, as year progresses, work (stress in silicon valley), social life (young kids) seem to come out much higher in the grand schema of things/priorities. Will see how long can I keep in touch with these forums as year progresses.

>So integrated pest management does work. Whaddya know.
yeah! and it being free is ever better!

Nkt:
Yes, I am here just on and off depending how busy I am with my work.
It's fun to be here.

my young tree has been denuded of leaves, fruit and young shoots. I suspect racoon or rat, possibly cat. I haven't found any partially eaten fruit.

What's your guess. I'm right in SF.

ren

Folks,

I'm in Berkeley and have been dealing with this for the last 3 years, starting usually in May and lasting until December-sh.

I've a very mature myer lemon tree that is regularly traumatized by a pest that peels the fruits. You can see parts of the rind on the ground and completely deunuded or partially peeled fruits on the tree.

I think it is a rat - but aren't they supposed to eat, "hollow out" the frut, too?

It is not snails, there are copper bands around the tree.

Does anyone have suggestions for getting rid of the rat, or what kind of rat?

I've noticed in the last few days droppings - fairly "small", black and about 1/4 an inch long under where my peeled fruit is. Are there mice that peel fruit??

- JD

Happening to me as well. Totally peeled and left, others peeled with a bit eaten. Now, tiny little pieces of peels covering area next to tree. Left a peeled one as bait on sidewalk by tree and returning 4 hours later in evening, it had disappeared! Rats are supposed to hollow out the fruit. Possums? Help.....

We have a prolific Meyer Lemon tree and for the past 3 years a creature is enjoying the rind of the lemon leaving the lemon beautifully peeled hanging on the tree. I suspect it to be a fruit bat. Any other thoughts?
Rindless in LA!

oh this is so funny to find some years later! i just posted a photo:

the thing that i can't imagine any of the suggested animals having the ability to leave the bits of peel all neatly like that.

Here is a link that might be useful: the mystery peeler

I live on the San Mateo coast. Whatever it is, is eating not only the rind but now is stripping the bark off. Only effected area is about head high on a otherwise healthy and mature tree. I tied a rat trap in the tree at the site....will see if I caught anything tomorrow

It's the raccoons peeling the lemons and leaving all the meat on the ground!!! Saw it last night with my own eyes lol

I read an article in the SF Chronicle by The bugman that rats eat the rind of the lemon and the inside of the ornge. I don't recall if he had a solution to this problem. I've had a Meyer lemon for many years and this is the first year they started eating my lemons. They also ate the inside of the few oranges I have on a rather small imature orange tree.

I noticed some fruits since last week in my lemon tree fully peeled and some partially but they are still hanging on the tree. Curiously nothing like tht in my other lemon tree with fruits having a much thicker rind. My son's room window is not too far from the tree and he never noticed flapping wings at night nearby the tree. There were two fruits that are too high on very slender branch tht a rat fruit has to be really small so as to stay up there. Whatever, much investigation to be made.

This is funny, I have been looking all over the web and this is the most complete listing I have found so far. The Lemons on my tree are always left on the tree. It takes two days for the rind to be completely removed. Looking closely it is eating only the white part and the outer yellow part is drying out rolling back as the inner flesh is consumed. I have never caught anything in the tree but snails and I have never caught any near the fruit. I guess it is possible it is the snails but what about a fungus that only attacks the white portion? And there is still the theory of the Aliens. Have fun, Dave
PS: On my neighbors tree it is getting the Green fruit also.

I am having a similar problem with our orange tree. We live in the East Bay area (antioch), and "something" has been eating part of the peel, and the entire inside of the unripe fruit, leaving a hollowed shell of peel hanging from the tree. We have seen opposums, squirrels, tree rats and racoons in the area, but assumed our dogs were keeping them at bay. I will say that snails will definitely NOT be the culprit (besides, wouldn't the acid kill them?) but they DO eat the leaves (probably why they are found them in the tree). Curiously enough, we also have a Meyer lemon tree that is LOADED with ripe fruit right now, and that is untouched....

I have noticed since the beginning of August that something has been peeling the skin off my Meyer lemons. I've found the lemon peels on the ground with distinct teeth marks and on the top of the fence I'm finding vermin droppings where the critters are using the fence to hop onto the lemon tree, but has anyone had any success getting rid of the pests? Is this an ongoing problem? Our neighbors have seen a spike in mice (maybe because our surrounding neighbors have so much ivy?)and we have had three mice brought to our patio by our watch cats :). On New Year's Eve my husband and I were shocked at a rat visiting the inside of our BBQ.

Laura, post photos of the damage. You don't say where you live, so it's hard for us to help you identify the culprits. You can add that info in your GardenWeb Zone field (see mine). If you're in California, most like it is Roof (Citrus) rats after moisture and food. Could also be snail damage if the peel damage is more round. Could be birds also, if the damage is roundish and ragged, as some birds apparently like to use the oil on their feathers as a bug deterrent. Opossums will also eat fruit, but usually do more damage. Mice will nibble, rats will peel. If it's Roof rats, you're going to have to either set traps or put out poison bait stations. There's a couple of options for poison bait, anticoagulant baits, but these can have a secondary kill action with predators (like hawks & owls), but safer to use with small kids around or dogs/cats, as their is an immediate antidote (Vit. K shot). Other types of non-secondary kill baits are also effective, BUT they do not have an antidote, so they can be more dangerous to small children or dogs/cats that get into the bait stations. For me, the only really effective measure with my high rat population are poison bait stations, unfortunately. Roof rats can cause extensive damage to your citrus fruit as well as to your homes, car wiring, etc. Worse in the hot dry summers as they're looking for water.

Patty S.

Here is a link that might be useful: UC Davis IPM: Rats

I live in New Zealand and the same is happening to our lemons, but only on one bush. We have two lemon bushes, one is in the garden at the back and one is in front of our house. The one in front of the house might not be a Meyer lemon bush and the lemons on that bush are fine, nothing is eating the skin.

Rats are notorious for eating the peels of sour fruits (lemons, limes, citrons), and they'll do just the opposite for sweet citrus - leave you a hollowed out fruit with just the skin hanging. The peel of lemons, limes, citrons are sweeter than the pulp, so the clever rat has learned to eat just the peels of those varieties, whilst devouring the sweet pulp of sweet citrus cultivars. Clever buggers. They'll be the last living animal on the planet. Along with cockroaches, who will be the last living bugs.

Patty S.

If it was rats, why don't they eat the fresh lemon skins on our compost heap? Anyway, we have lots of cats in the area and I have NEVER seen a rat though I now they are nocturnal.

Kiwichristel

Well, because they probably haven't discovered them, yet. Why one tree will be affected, and the tree next to it, not, again, no explanation for that. It may also be a bird, as some birds like to use the oils of citrus to repel parasites, and they'll peck the skin to get to the oils (although what I see in your photo looks more to me like bite marks from a rodent, due to the sharp cuts through the skin). So, it may be a squirrel, rabbit (if the fruit is low enough) or some other rodent you have in your area. And, cats and other predators will not catch all the rodents. I have every predator known to man in my area and yard in large quantities - coyotes, weasels, roadrunners, hawks, eagles, kites, owls, bobcats, snakes (no kitty cats, as they would simply become a meal for all our coyotes). I still have plenty of roof rats (also known as citrus rats), as well as many other rodents (squirrels, ground squirrels, mice, bunnies, gophers.)

Patty S.

Hi Patty

First of all, thanks for your thoughts on the lemon peel eating whatsits. There are no squirrels in NZ but we have possums. What intriges me as well is. There is a cluster of lemons touching the ground. I haven't picked them yet as a) I observe them and b) they are not quite ready for picking yet. These Lemons have not been touched. I thought being so near to the ground, snails, mice, possums, anything that likes lemon peel would go for those easy ones. If you look on the second photo I uploaded you can see how they start and that does not seem to be by a rodent. It starts with tiny white marks but no teeth marks. I will upload the whole photo so you can see how tiny those spots are. Those large holes that are seen on the first lemon photo were done over a few days.

Christel

Hi Patty

First of all, thanks for your thoughts on the lemon peel eating whatsits. There are no squirrels in NZ but we have possums. What intriges me as well is. There is a cluster of lemons touching the ground. I haven't picked them yet as a) I observe them and b) they are not quite ready for picking yet. These Lemons have not been touched. I thought being so near to the ground, snails, mice, possums, anything that likes lemon peel would go for those easy ones. If you look on the second photo I uploaded you can see how they start and that does not seem to be by a rodent. It starts with tiny white marks but no teeth marks. I will upload the whole photo so you can see how tiny those spots are. Those large holes that are seen on the first lemon photo were done over a few days.

Christel

{{!gwi}}

This is the photo not zoomed

Think birds... many things like the Meyer lemon peel because it is not bitter. When we sent Meyers to the Fruit Logistica show in Berlin, people were walking around sucking on the peels.

Could be birds. Not snails, as the make more round, rasped holes. Could be earwigs as well. Have you checked with your local ag agent in your area to see what they might suspect? Or, your local university?

Patty S.

My husband just said: "Who's worried? you're not gonna spray it or do anything so just put up with it!" MEN! But he is right. I won't treat it with any chemicals and the lemons are edible. I was curious what's taking the coat off my lemon?:) I will ask at my local nursery though. Thanks very much for your thought Patty and John.

Christel

Christel, you can always try to cover your fruit as well, to see if it is an animal (who most likely will try to eat or peck through the cover), or insect (which will not). Try putting a little plastic baggy around a fruit, secure with a twist tie and see what happens.

Patty S.

Most likely roof rats. Had a house in Berkeley and started seeing this on my Meyer lemon trees. Found a rat and dispatched it. Peel-eating stopped.

Who knew so many others have had the same issue with their lemons. I've had the tree for about 9 years and this is the first time I've ever seen this. My friends thought it was a prank but most people I know are to busy to peel and leave the lemons on the tree. I thought maybe birds, now I'm thinking maybe rat or similar. Interesting--I blame climate change.

Observed this for the first time on one of my meyer lemon trees. I'm in Oakland, CA. I noticed the perfectly peeled fruits on the ground first and inspected further and saw partially peeled fruits still on the tree. Suspect the compromised fruits dropped after being totally peeled. Seems to have happened in the span of a few days. Have had these trees for years and this is the first time ever.

It is almost certainly tree rats, or roof rats; and they dearly love the peel of the Meyer lemon, because it is not bitter like other lemons. I occasionally encounter this in some of my garden Meyers; and I just put out rat bait, and the problem disappears.

I am in Glendora, CA. It's been for 4-5 months I have noticed hollowed out orange peal (looks like an empty ball) under my orange tree. Today I saw a hollowed out orange hanging, and the other one was eaten to one/fourth, also still hanging on the tree. The oranges now are big but still green. The juice is tasty, not too sweet.

Thank you, everybody, community, for all advice. I will put some rat baits on my orange tree. My lemon tree does not have this problem.

Same problem with the rind being completely removed from the lemons. Set 4 rat traps around the area, no success. Have not seen any rat droppings either. Is there another animal that might be responsible. Live in Pleasant Hill, ty for a response.

My vote is tree rats/roof rats... same animal. Go out at night with a big light; and you just might catch them at work.

For the first time in 10 years we are experiencing perfectly peeled fruits left hanging on our mature lemon trees. If rats, how to get of them? We love in Oakland CA.

Poison, traps, cats, BB gun

Does anyone have pictures of the neatly pealed fruit left on the tree?

Over the last couple years I've had both the completely denuded and partially hollowed out Meyer lemons. It usually happens to the outermost fruit. I find that odd, as that would leave the culprits highly exposed to predators. The ones nearest the trunk are relatively untouched. Again, it seems odd that the easiest fruit to reach is bypassed. Here is a photo I took yesterday of the partially hollowed fruit.

Roof rats is best guess.

Two photos of damage. Don't know what to conclude, but the neighbour's dogs are curious, so it won't be snails. Twigs too small for possums. No other animal predators here except for small rodents. This is a large NZ Meyer which has been damaged over some weeks, also for the very first time. You can see many new blossoms as it is late spring. Lots completely denuded and then they drop. Too many branches and foliage to hide in, so pruning to open it up should help.

Same thing happening here, first time in more than eight years.

Now if you could train the rats to separate the individual slices you'll really have a patentable product.

Steve

Please trap rats. Do not use rat poison. The dying rats are eaten by owls, hawks and local pets. The rodenticide kills the vermin slowly. As they crawl around they are easily taken by predators or pets. The chemical in the rat will kill anything that bites or eats i. There are no antidotes. Use a trap.