Vineyards on Vancouver Island have many predators, large and small. This Bald-faced Hornet is one of the smaller ones and loves the sweet juices of ripe grapes. The Bald-faced Hornet is not a large consumer of grapes. Bears can consume hundreds of pounds of grapes a day and have no trouble going over 10ft high field fencing. Birds can consume large quantities of grapes in a vineyard (European Starlings are the worst) when they arrive in flocks that make the sky look like pepper. Birds pick, but do not eat all they pick, as you may notice by the number of grapes on the ground below the plants. Under the ground, mice and voles can destroy a plant, as they eat the roots. Deer, if allowed entry to the vineyard usually munch on the leaves, not the fruit. The high fences around vineyards are to help keep out Deer and Elk.

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