hop twine mystery solved

This year I wanted to increase the linear travel potential of the hops, so I ran a very clever intersecting zigzag of jute twine between the base of the fence and the cable strung between poles atop it. I was quite pleased. It looked cool bare, and I figured would be quite lovely covered in hop bines. And, it would increase their growth potential by a few feet.

Imagine my annoyance when I discovered a few days later that several of the stout strings were broken. Was it friction? An irritated neighbor? I effected a repair. A few days later, more were broken. Crazed birds? Whipping winds? By the third time I was pretty sure I knew what it was, and today I caught the little rotter in the act.

The hops are growing rapidly, so I'll have to figure something out soon. It's a complete wreck.

Flippin' squirrels. I liked them a lot more before I began gardening, just like I liked raccoons and blue herons before having ponds.