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gooseberry sawfly

primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817
in Fruit & veg

On inspection of a year 2small plant I've found only 3light green small caterpillars but a number of stems stripped  image on the bigger plant about3feet away covered in small fruits some stems leafless I found 1small but3 about half inch darker with black flecks and decidedly fatter.image  the variety is General is it prone to them?I've checked the Invicta and it appears free from them(at the moment) 

Would you think I have caught them in time , or are the ones picked off just the advance party?

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Posts

  • Invicta2Invicta2 Posts: 663

    Hi Primrose

     

    I have Invicta and it is just as vulnerable to sawfly, they just haven't got to it yet. Start inspecting it now especially in the middle and get them early. They can certainly much there way through leaves at a fast rate and there are at least two different species, you may be unluckly and have both. Have a good look at General plants again, I think you will find more if you look, but some of the ones that did the earliest damage may now be chrysalis.

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    They come up from the ground, so inspect the lower leaves every day and squish any you find. If you get a bad infestation you may have to use a spray.
  • LoganLogan Posts: 2,532
    Spray don't work very on caterpillars they just fall off but spray the ground maybe

    if you do that first then when they fall off they will fall on the sprayed ground, but

    that's just a thought.
  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Thanks guysimage I'll go out and have another look

    Eyes not as good as would likeimage anyone warching will wonder what I'm up to with my nose in the pricklesimage

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Like your tactics Logan image will get a spray when I go out 

  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Oh dear I'm obsessive nowimage found another couple and smaller Xantia? No fruits at all but the General is covered in small set berries. Shall I lose the crop?image

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    No, they only eat the leaves, which debilitates the bush. They can completely strip a bush.
  • primrosecottageprimrosecottage Posts: 817

    Well I 'll keep my fingers crossed and just carry on searching for themimage thanks everyone

  • sanjy67sanjy67 Posts: 1,007

    i found the first one today on my gooseberry plant image on  my other gooseberry bush i have a couple of new shoots coming from the soil which are very very thorny, should i cut these off and what would happen on them if i didn't? 

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Blackcurrant branches come up from the soil, but they are best removed on gooseberry bushes to leave a clean stem below the first branches.
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