Wild animals often seek out readily available food sources, and cultivated gardens can become attractive foraging grounds. Potatoes, a common garden crop, can draw in various creatures due to their accessibility and nutritional content. Many wild animals are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will consume whatever food they can find in their environment, including crops grown by humans. Understanding which animals are likely to target potatoes and why can help minimize potential damage.
Mammals That Consume Potatoes
A number of mammalian species are known to consume potatoes, often causing significant damage to garden crops. Deer, for instance, will eat both the leaves of potato plants and the tubers themselves, especially when other food sources are scarce. Rabbits also pose a threat, feeding on young potato plants and occasionally the tubers.
Groundhogs, also known as woodchucks, are herbivores that will readily dig up and consume potato tubers, which are a rich source of carbohydrates. Raccoons, being omnivores, are opportunistic feeders that will eat potatoes found in gardens and fields, though they might prefer other foods if available. Mice and voles are smaller rodents that frequently target potato tubers, often gnawing on them either in the ground or in storage. They leave behind characteristic bite marks, sometimes consuming a significant portion of the tuber.
Other Creatures Drawn to Potatoes
Beyond mammals, other types of animals and even insects can cause damage to potato plants and tubers. Birds, such as crows or starlings, might peck at exposed potato tubers. However, insects often pose a more consistent and widespread threat to potato crops.
The Colorado potato beetle is a destructive insect pest, with both its adult and larval stages feeding vigorously on potato foliage, sometimes leading to complete defoliation of plants. Wireworms, the larvae of click beetles, are soil-dwelling pests that burrow into potato tubers, creating holes and tunnels that reduce crop quality. Slugs are also known to damage potato tubers by creating irregular holes and cavities, especially during the early stages of tuber bulking. Cutworms, which are moth larvae, can sever young potato plant stems at ground level or feed on foliage and exposed tubers.
Why Wild Animals Seek Out Potatoes
Wild animals are drawn to potatoes primarily because they represent an easily accessible and concentrated source of nutrients. Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, providing a significant energy boost for foraging animals. The water content in potatoes can also be appealing, especially in drier conditions or during certain seasons when other water sources might be less abundant.
Cultivated potato fields or gardens offer a more reliable and less labor-intensive food source compared to natural foraging in the wild. This combination of nutritional value, water content, and ease of access makes potatoes an attractive target for various wildlife.
Protecting Your Potato Harvest
Safeguarding a potato harvest from wild animals involves implementing preventative measures to deter their access. Physical barriers, such as fencing, can be effective in keeping out larger mammals like deer and groundhogs, though the fence design needs to account for the animal’s ability to jump or burrow. Regular garden maintenance, including weeding, can reduce cover for smaller pests like voles and slugs, making the area less appealing.
Prompt harvesting of potatoes once they are mature can also minimize the time tubers are exposed and vulnerable to damage from underground pests and opportunistic surface feeders. Removing any fallen or discarded potatoes from the garden area helps eliminate easy food sources that might attract wildlife. Ensuring potatoes are adequately hilled with soil during growth can also protect developing tubers from surface-dwelling pests and exposure to light.
Potential Risks for Animals Eating Potatoes
While potatoes can be a food source for wild animals, there are potential risks associated with their consumption, particularly concerning certain parts of the plant. Potatoes naturally produce glycoalkaloids, such as solanine, as a defense mechanism against insects and herbivores. These compounds are present throughout the potato plant, with higher concentrations typically found in the leaves, stems, sprouts, and any green areas of the tuber.
Solanine can be toxic if consumed in large quantities, potentially causing gastrointestinal distress or neurological symptoms in animals. While animals may consume small amounts without severe harm, a bitter taste, which is a reliable indicator of elevated solanine levels, often deters them from eating larger, more dangerous quantities. However, smaller animals might be more susceptible to solanine toxicity.