What Ate this Carrot ???

[RalphVa]

That's what I was going to say: voles.

Those are awful big carrots.

Ralph

 

[smstonypoint]

Swift moth caterpillar?

See Swift moth - WikiGardener - The gardening site that anyone can edit

Steve

 

[oosik]

If those carrots were in my garden - I'd be looking for shrews.

 

[jimmysisson]

Another vote for (actually, against) voles. They are fast eaters and hard to see as they're underground most if the time. A mousetrap under an overturned flowerpot by one of their holes sometimes works. Good luck against them!
Jim

 

[sixdogs]

I don't know either but wouldn't a vole eat the outer edges as well and not just stop at that thin outer edge? Seems more like a grub type thing would do that?

 

[TomSeller]

Looks like they created a Hollow Carrot variety. Looks good on the outside and lightweight for shipping.

Got no idea but am interested if someone knows what is eating them.

 

[Gordon Gould]

Well thanks for the comments got some smiles too. It is still a mystery to me. The description of the water core rot sounds close but why only 3 carrots (and yes they are big - red cored charteney according to my wife - fat and short really). All the other carrots are not degraded at all. So voles maybe. We have plenty of them and other rodents but there is not a tooth mark . Not even a scratch. The inside of those carrots look like a cylinder wall on a fresh engine and it is also hard for me to believe they could leave such a precise skin. But maybe. And no borrowing we could find either. There was one small snail in one carrot but it would take an army of them to eat that much carrot. Maybe the moth from Europe - haven't seen any though or found any catapilars.
Are there any other clues I can look for. I am really curious.

gg

 

[smstonypoint]

Are there any other clues I can look for. I am really curious.

gg

Save the affected carrots and take them to your local Cooperative Extension office. The horticultural agent should be able to figure it out or he/she can contact a specialist at the University of Vermont for assistance.

Steve

 

[Gordon Gould]

Save the affected carrots and take them to your local Cooperative Extension office. The horticultural agent should be able to figure it out or he/she can contact a specialist at the University of Vermont for assistance.

Steve

Great idea - Thanks Steve

 

[RobertBrown]

If those carrots were in my garden - I'd be looking for shrews.

Ahhh yes..... shrews...Perhaps a ....pair of shrews....large ones....we call them "horse shrews" here.

That my friend, is a very, very, shrewd deduction...