Caterpillars on a fruit tree

[alldigging]

Orangey caterpillars on a fruit tree.


Yucky things, they've made quite a mess of things. I assume it's easiest just to pick them off and put them somewhere the birds can eat them.

[FB.]

I just leave them to it. Most caterpillars don't attack the fruit and they only eat a small number of the leaves.

The 'tree' looks a bit weak though, with sparse leaves. I think it's struggling due to competing plants nearby.

[alldigging]

It's had quite a few branches destroyed by them. They left lots of dirty cobweby stuff. I've removed them now.

[alldigging]

There's another pic
Very blurry I'm afraid.

Social Pear Sawfly?

[boundtothesoil]

I'd take a zero tolerance approach to these on such a small tree

[FB.]

The attack actually looks surprisingly bad, so perhaps removal is required.
But I still think the tree was struggling to cope even before the caterpillars arrived.
A strong, happy tree would have produced a lot more leaves and new shoots, to the extent that caterpillar damage was of no concern.

Many of my apple trees have had all their leaves and new shoots damaged - or even killed - by one of the most severe aphids attacks I've ever seen.
But the trees are strong (vigorous varieties on vigorous rootstocks) and are now making a comeback, with new shoots bursting out all over the place - about five new shoots for every one the aphids damaged, plus lots of extra side branches without the need for pruning to achieve branching.

[alldigging]

I've removed them all but will go and check again today to see if any have climbed back up as some of the little blighters fell off when I was getting them.

It might not be best happy with where it is planted but it was also pruned when it was put in. Not by me!
I didn't think it looked too bad last time I saw it though.

The orchard area is a bit rough with some rubbish buried under the soil so it just might be in a bad bit.