Saw fly

maureen60 · May 2015

Good evening.

I had a saw fly infestation last summer, particularly on a few rose bushes, with large amount of defoliation.

Is their any preventative action I should take this year?

thankyou in advance.

Dave Morgan · May 2015

It's hard to stop them other than by using chemicals. Vigilance is the key. Inspect the roses regularly and crush the caterpillars that cause the damage by squishing them as soon as it starts. They're small green ones so you have to look carefully and get every single one.

maureen60 · May 2015

Thanks Dave

Logan · May 2015

You could try a winter wash with jays fluid it's strong so look on container for instructions used armillatox before on gooseberries it works on them but can't get it anymore

maureen60 · May 2015

Thankyou Logan

Bee witched · May 2015

Hi Maureen,

Try using a spray of diluted Neem oil ... it is totally organic.

See this link for further info.

http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-oil-insecticide.html

and this one for how to make it.

http://www.discoverneem.com/neem-insect-spray.html

I use it as soon as growth starts in April and I drench the foliage. Any spare solution goes onto the soil below as the earthworms are supposed to love it. I repeat spray every few of weeks.

Neem is best used preventatively .... but will work on pests that have already arrived. It does not hurt beneficial insects. Only chewing and sucking insects are affected. The main reason is that insects need to ingest the neem oil to be affected, and beneficial insects don't eat your plants. However, you can still kill beneficial insects if you smother them with neem oil, so I tend to spray late evening to be safe.

It does stink a bit ... but is easy to mix up and apply.

I got mine off ebay .... wasn't expensive for a big bottle which will last ages. At room temperature it is solid, but goes liquid again within a couple of hours in the airing cupboard.

Worth a try.

Saw fly

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