Update: Libby was nosing around the garden near the air conditioner, so after promises of boooones (which I didn't follow through on), I got her away and investigated. One of the glue traps was lying face down in the garden. It turned out to be the one from under the potting bench; the other traps were untouched. And how, you may ask, did a fairly heavy plastic and glue dish measuring about 4 by 8 travel across the patio, around the porch, and into the garden? I did my best CSI impression by flashlight and found this in the glue:
--half a mouse (ugh)
--long (1 1/2 inches) white or pale grey hairs
So... a cat? Perhaps. I haven't seen any cats of that description around, though. My guess is we have a possum. Could a possum have stolen the other traps? Maybe. Am I an unwilling participant in some bizarre predator-prey system? Apparently. Am I glad it was a mouse I caught, and not a rat? Absolutely. Do I feel awful about how it died? Yeah :(

Quick research on possums reveals that they do eat carrion, and their number one predator is the car. Perhaps I should park the truck in the back yard.

- posted by Diane @ 11:43 PM