Gooseberry bush demolished by caterpillars!!!

[buddy of maidstone]

Hi as title says looked at my gooseberry bush today all of one side has lost it's leaves and fruit,when I checked it I found a handful of small pastel green caterpillars,never seen this before.what are they???


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[fishpond]

Sounds like a type of Gooseberry Sawfly.

[veggiechicken]

Probably http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...fly_72970.html

[roitelet]

Get rid of them quick or they will strip the bush. Much as I don't like of use it I have found that a systemic insecticide is the only thing that works. I only have to use about once every two or three years.

[buddy of maidstone]

Thanks for your replies,I picked what I could find off the bush and squished them,will look at what I can get hold of to get rid of the ones I've probably missed.


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[roitelet]

They have three generations a year so be vigilant!

[CurlyGreen]

I read somewhere that putting some peanuts in a bird feeder near the gooseberries can help.The birds come for the peanuts but hopefully eat the caterpillars as well. I tried it last year and did get my first decent gooseberry crop and things are looking good this year too Might be worth a try.

Of course it might just be that the bushes were younger and more vulnerable to the complete leaf stripping they got in their first 3 years But hopefully I made some birds happy if nothing else!