Sawfly already !

[Losos]

they go In to the ground to pupate and the ones that aren't ready will climb back aboard. They need to be DEAD.

Bit like the dreaded 'pear midge' (Which I had two years ago) in that case the advice I researched was that once you see them it's too late for current season.

You need to plan NOW to eliminate them next year which means (as roitelet has said) killing them BEFORE they can burrow down in the ground.

We all like to be organic when possible but this does sound like a case of spraying with a bug killer, if you get them before they pupate (in the ground) you should be clear next year.

Sadly the birds are not quite thorough enough to get them ALL and nature has designed things such that just one survivor will replicate faster than you can say SAWFLY

[Marb67]

Mulching with sawdust should stop them.

[veggiechicken]

Surely they''ll just burrow through the sawdust?

[Marb67]

It's a barrier so hopefully they will give up and it's not as easy to get through as soil. There is no way to get a collar round the base so it's my only option. Another way is knocking the branches with a cane but that caused the berries to fall off.

[veggiechicken]

There's a good RHS video https://www.rhs.org.uk/videos/advice/gooseberry-pruning which mentions keeping the centre of the bush open to make life difficult for the sawfly.
Worth a look!

[Marb67]

Thanks, will have a look.

[Nicos]

Nice video VC!

[Marb67]

Funny enough something has worked because I found a few dead sawflys on the leaves. They have either been suffocated by the oil or the chilli flavour was too much. Either way it's one to note for future use. Again, I wold be reluctant to use any pesticides as we have blackbirds and frogs that could be harmed. I would rather have no gooseberries than dead wildlife.

[fishpond]

Suspect it was the oil---keep at it.

[Bigmallly]

So if we see any birds with flames coming out of their derrière, we know they've come from Cheshire.................

[Marb67]

Just been out again and there are more. I cannot believe how much leaf they have stripped in one afternoon. Just the veins left. Squashed a few but impossible to find them all. Gits.

As the gooseberries have already started forming hopefully I should have a crop still.

[Marb67]

I must say it does my heart good to see 5 sparrows in among the bushes picking off the caterpillars. That really is nature working for you ��

[Nicos]

Bet you're glad you didn't spray them then?

[Marb67]

Yes, would never use spray.

[lottie dolly]

Nice to see things are getting better for you Marb ,this growing lark is some game to play,anyone can win