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Rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.) cause damage in spring to young shoots of newly planted vines or during winter to trunks of established grapevines.

Eastern cottontail rabbit.

(Photo: Caleb Slemmons, National Ecological Observatory Network, Bugwood.org)

Rabbit feeding on grape trunks is similar to the damage shown here on an apple tree.

(Photo: Steven Katovich, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org)

Management:

• Protect young shoots with grow tubes; however, they should be removed to allow for proper shoot maturation.
• Apply taste deterrents, such as capsaicin-based products or Thiram, to help deter chewing.
• Protect older grapevines with hardware cloth trunk guards.
• Remove brush piles and tall grass around grapevines to help decrease suitable rabbit habitat. 

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