Hi,
I spotted this intriguingly-munched flower (morning glory?) on a cycling trail in the Welland area. Such a strange pattern to the holes! I’d love your input on who or what the mystery muncher might be.
Thanks!
Thank you for contacting the Toronto Master Gardeners with this puzzeling pattern.
Your interestingly munched flower appears to be bindweed (Convolvulus). This plant is often called wild morning glory because it looks similar to morning glory however unlike morning glory or moon flower the flowers remain open all day. This plant possesses thin thread-like tendrils that wrap tightly around plants or fences and arrowhead shaped leaves.
I have to admit that the pattern of munched holes on the flower had me stumped for a while until I remembered cutting out folded paper snowflakes with my children. An insect may have have deposited its egg on the flower bud when it was tightly curled, the larva hatch and munched on the flower bud and when the bud unfurled there was the pattern that you observed.
Thank you for bringing this interesting dilema to our attention. Nature never ceases to amaze.