This year I decided to grow some American Lotus plants-I bought the seeds, and started them indoors. As soon as the seedlings were 6" long, I planted them in my backyard pool (in pots, with clay to hold the seeds down). The next day, I found a dead squirrel in the pool-I fished him out, buried him, and all was well…till this morning-all the pots were upended, and the evidence (gnawed seeds) were on the side of the pool.
Which varmints did this? I’m inclined to concluded that a hungry raccoon was responsible-I’ve never see squirrels enter water.
So now, I get to start over-I guess I’ll have to keep the plants indoors, till they are are full grown.
I suspect coons.
I don’t think it’s possible to determine. Normally, I’d be amazed to see a squirrel enter the water but you have proof that one did just that. So perhaps you were struck by a better swimming squirrel or raccoon.
Seed-gnawing sounds more like the rodenty behavior of a squirrel. Raccoons have fangs rather than gnawing incisors.