funny you post this, I had the same thing, leaves from my hot pepper plants pulled off and mostly left just lying there... then this morning, I saw a starling in my veggie bed, it hopped all around my pepper and then flew away with a leaf in its beak... urgh.

I wonder why pepper leaves?

I survived damping off only for birds & bunnies to drive me nuts!?!? oh well, i guess this is gardening!

good luck.

I was going to say bunnies, but it looks like Buck already beat me to it.

I've been seeing them in my yard, and they, rabbits, are getting closer and closer to my garden bed. Because of this, I've now put on my Elmer Fudd hat on and am rabbit hunting. It's odd, but these dang rabbit's know what a BB gun looks like. They see it and take off!! I guess I better find my CO2 pistol.

Here's the worst part about hunting these boogers. I have to do it when my better half isn't watching. She just loves rabbits.

sorry, it's been me. I've been coming to your house and eating your pepper leaves. I'll stop if it means that much to you

crabjoe, treat your lady to a nice rabbit stew, she may change her mind.

When I first started hunting, the quarry I wanted most was rabbit... they are soooo delicious. Not to mention fun to hunt w/o dogs. My BF thinks I'm nuts.

My experience with rabbits is that they normally eat the whole plant down to a short stem leaving nothing on the ground. When I see pieces of plant on the ground, that usually means cutworms.

grandad, I'm new to gardening.. do cutworms cut the leaves off? I thought it was the whole plant...

Whatever is destroying my plants leaves the stalk intact; they just pull the leaves off. And it isn't rabbits. I have a fence and 2 dogs that would prevent a rabbit from getting anywhere near my garden.
Do Starlings pull leaves off?

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I've been having the same type of situation and this is my very first garden. I built raised beds and their is no way for rabbits to get into my yard.

I've seen birds and squirrels.

When I wake up, small branches of my tomato seedlings are laying on the dirt and its really starting to get to me....

What could this problem be???

I witnessed the crime from a starling, they've also been stealing my mulch for nesting (getting the good pieces too, the nice fuzzy fluffy fiber balls).

Its not epidemic, a few leaves here & there, but if it does get bad, I'm netting the entire garden.

funny though, they only go after the pepper plants, nothing else.

So far, only bunnies have eaten 2 of my maters.

Hmmm. They are only attacking my pepper plants as well, and they only like the sweet varieties. We have a lot of starlings in the area too. I wonder if Sevin Dust will keep them away?

Since they are caged why not try putting the floating row cover over top. If it is birds they won't be able to get in. My guess would be something is reaching over top of the fence to pick at them or the birds...are you sure your dogs aren't curious and taking a taste? My daughter's dogs did that exact thing when they came to visit.

Buck, cutworms do not normally cut the leaves off. They may eat some of the plant but what's left is usually in one (maybe 2) pieces.

The starling issue is new to me. We have many starlings in our area but I have never had any attack the pepper plants to collect leaves to build their nests. I have, however, had squirrels take the top 2 fooot section off of corn plants for nest building. On more than one occasion I saw corn plants half way up into the oak trees and pine trees. So starlings doing the same is not too much of a surprise.

This morning I got up early with the sunrise and saw birds getting near the plants. Nothing else.

I then persuaded the birds to look elsewhere.

I think our problem is bird related.

I put up bird netting on friday afternoon; went out of town and when I returned today there's been no new damage. I think it was the birds.

I've had the same exact problem. Sweet bell pepper plants only (and one tomato plant). I started another thread and posted some pictures (before I saw this thread).
I'm thinking my problem may be birds as well since some of the damage happened mid-day, not at night like it would normally be if bugs.
Darn birds!

We have always loved gold finch and plant sunflowers just for them, But today we watched them attack our pepper plants in the garden and rip almost every leaf off.This means WAR!!!