caterpillar heaven v gooseberry nightmare

[Two_Sheds]

I've never had any fruit off my gooseberry - the Sawfly eat all the leaves while I'm not looking. I've given up growing it ... I much prefer blackcurrants anyway.

Yes, the best advice is the bird food one... but you may have to net the fruit when it comes against the same little birdies that ate your caterpillars.

[Farmer_Gyles]

you can either pick the caterpillars off, or use a basic houseplant bug spray
i'm not keen on the bird method - birds could eat the gooseberries
i planted garlic around my gooseberries last year - no sawfly - apparently the garlic helps keep sawfly away - got more garlic growing there this year, will check for sawfly tonight and will report back here

[dasantillo]

We have the same little green caterpillar - hundreds of them on the gooseberrys and also the currants :-( We had them last year, but at the end of the season, not this early.

The RHS website says you can use an "organic pesticide such as rotenone (Bio Liquid Derris Plus) or pyrethrum (Py Garden Insect Killer, Scotts Nature's Answer Natural Bug Killer, Gem Stop Bugs or Doff All in One Insecticide Spray)." Royal Horticultural Society - Gardening Advice: Gooseberry Sawfly

There are far too many to pick off by hand so we're off to try and find some of this organic stuff today at the garden centre.

[southlondongardener]

I think the pupae live in the soil. If you remove all plants nearby and disturb the soil - then the birds will eat them all !

[Farmer_Gyles]

i checked my gooseberries and no sign of sawfly here yet ....... lots of baby gooseberries tho so all lookin good so far

[lumpyjumper]

I picked off over a hundred of the little caterpillars last night! my back aches this morning! I only have two little bushes and I've been checking them daily for signs as last year my bushes were stripped bare in about a day!!

I think I'll get some of the Derris dust as I'm away this weekend and can't risk them taking over again.

[BarleySugar]

Last year I lost all the leaves off the gooseberry because I didn't notice the sawfly until too late, then the fruit fell off. Not many flowers this year No signs of caterpillar yet yet, but after reading this thread I'll be extra vigilant.

[SueA]

Lumpyjumper, you might not be able to get Derris as it's being withdrawn from sale, you might be able to get an organic spray somewhere but I'm afraid you might end up having to pick them all off by hand again!
Picked a few larvae off my gooseberry plant the other day as I noticed a few leaves looking a bit nibbled but you have to be vigilant or they'll take over the whole bush in no time.

[nilling]

My gooseberry bush went into the compost bin Unfortunately, I've got my red current bush next to it and it was also covered in green caterpillars. I've been checking it ever morning and evening squashing the little blighters. Only seeing a couple now. What else could I be doing ?

[Waffler]

I always use derris on the sawfly that attacks our gooseberries. I thought I heard it was being discontinued later in the year, so I'm hoping I'm still ok to stock up on it (the derris, that is.)

[Dexyowl]

Currant Worm

Hi, this is my first posting on this site. I'm not a huge GYO gardener, but my wife bought me a gooseberry bush and these little green caterpillar blighters have invaded it every year since I've had it.
I find the best way to keep on top of this problem, is to cut up two or three white carrier bags, and place them carefully under the bush. Then, using a small garden cane, or similar, just tap the branches of the bush and the 'currant worms' (as they are known) will all tumble to the ground. Carefully collect up the carrier bags and dispose of the caterpillars by crushing them . Do this again immediately afterwards, and you'll find that some more of the resilient ones will drop on this second foray. Obviously, some caterpillars are thrown wide of the bags, and will crawl back to the bush. Give them plenty of time to climb back on board, and repeat the method again. After a few days, you'll find that you have got rid of them all. But you haven't really! Keep 'tapping' your bush every couple of days or so, and you'll keep the damage to a minimum, if not eradicate it altogether for this year. They do keep attacking your plant right up to, and including September, so check it right through to the end of summer, and in to the autumn. Good Luck!

[Twinkle]

some brilliant tips here...
I inherited a bank of currant bushes when we moved here and come May, they were all sawfly-infested.

Did a spray of Derris, but the sawfly still came back... Doesn't help that around the base of the bushes is all heavily weed-ridden too.

Cutting my losses this year, will prune them back in autumn, try and weed the bases and see what happens.

They're planted a bit close together tbh - anyone know if I could move some of them ?? What's the success rate like for transplanting currants if I was to do it in autumn ??

[StevenT]

Picture of my gooseberry rust fly and predator wasp

I have had the same problem as everyone over the past several years, but the plant still survives. Here are pictures of my bug and a wasp predator eating them. The images are attached.
Steve

[Two_Sheds]

What's the success rate like for transplanting currants if I was to do it in autumn ??

very good.
5 of mine survived an 8 mile bike ride and transplanting. Water them in well, of course.

[hamsterqueen]

5 of mine survived an 8 mile bike ride

more than I could these days!