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I noticed one of my blueberry plants half defoliated the other day, and picked what must have been almost 200 of these things off it. Yesterday, another 70+ that I might have missed and just under 20 today. Is it sawfly?
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A bit of history if it might help with ID?
Last year I didn't get round to doing much gardening, and this poor plant was totally defoliated. I found big green caterpillars on them and they looked like moth caterpillars. Not in the numbers that I've found this year though. Over winter, I found a couple of chrysalis on the blueberry. Thought it'd be dead after having no leaves during the height of summer. -
I think so. My gooseberries were razed leafless year before, but like yours the leaves eventually grew back next season and the plants were fine.
Thank you for sharing. I think I'll inspect and put some mesh on my new blueberry plants tomorrow.Comment
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Apparently they overwinter in the soil and emerge in spring. If that is the case, I wonder if some sort of barrier on the stem of bushes would work...Comment
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Are they some sort of sawfly. Ug. I’m off to look at my plants.Comment
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Out of interest, regarding the big green moth caterpillars you had last year, last month I found a single enormous caterpillar on my jostaberry, it had single handedly eaten 3 entire leaves so far as I could tell. I reckon it was orthosia incerta (clouded drab). I left it in a very visible spot on the path for 5 minutes and it was gone when I turned back around - some bird had a hefty meal.
As for your current plague, break the life cycle now or they'll be back. Keep picking them off, or consider upping the ante and using other weapons against them.Comment
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Looks like Sawfly to meComment
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