Talkback: The trouble with berberis

Posts

• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  July 2008

  We have a Berberis thunbergii that is the main screen for the front of our house (or was) - we only noticed a few days ago that we could see through it quite drastically and upon inspecting it yesterday, noticed nearly all of the leaves decimated. We have shook off many caterpillars - and sprayed it. Just hope it comes back. This has never happened before in the 6 years we have lived here. We live in North Manchester and not heard of anyone else locally that has suffered with this pest?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  July 2008

  I have had the same problem on my Berberis for the last 2/3 years with just the leaves right at the end of the branches left, this weekend I saw many flies, almost certainly the same as above flitting around the bush. This is in the Harrow side of London

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  I have them on my berberis too, I'm in sunbury, right at the end of the M3. How do i get rid of them?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  I have this too. First time ever and it's made a mess of my mature barberry. I noticed the flies first in early July, but I couldn't identify them in any of my books (obviously my books are too old for this one). Now I've identified it, I shall be spraying!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  Please stop all this spraying. I'm sorry your plants aren't looking so good but it won't kill you to just leave the insects to just get on with it and let nature redress the balance next year. The sawflies are bound to have predators - try encouraging more birds to visit your garden. The sprays are killing bees and butterflies, which are in serious danger of extinction. Please, I beg you. Stop spraying!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  After hours of research we have finally discovered that our "caterpillars" that we have been nurturing in an old fish tank in West London, are in fact Berberis Sawfly Caterpilars. I have 3 Berberis plants in the garden and all of them have been shredded.

  We thought that we would keep the hundreds of Sawfly Caterpillars hopeing that they would turn into beautiful Butterflies. However, we were very suprised when we found that they had hatched into Sawflies.

  We also discovered 2 large green grasshopper looking insects that we assume may be the Sawfly Caterpillars predator. Is there any hope of the Berberis plant regrowing its leaves? Furthermore, are Sawfly rare species? or are they just pesty beasts?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  I have the same problem! I have 5 berberis and they have been stripped bare for the first time in 3 years. Will they grow again? I am worried they will move onto my ligustrum!

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  Dear Jackie O, I hear what you're saying, but I have a three acre garden with tons of nettles on the banks and large swathes of area which we've left to 'go native' for wild insects etc. Sorry, but I've sprayed the sawflies caterpillars..if they had been butteflies or moths, I would have let them continue, even though my large Berberis is next to my front door.

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  I have had my berberis for 20 years and this is the first time it has been attacked. There is no foliage left, only sawfly caterpillars. My question is what to spray it with and will they come back next year if left alone?

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• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  August 2008

  Reply to everyone who wants rid of the things. I rid my roses of sawflies a year or so ago. Take an umbrella, upturn it and hold it underneath the infested branches and give them a sharp tap. All the caterpillars fall out. Close the umbrella and take it another part of the garden, and scatter them out. They will either starve or get eaten by birds, Simple. Either that or search out each caterpillar and squish it with a pair of tweezers.

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