Gooseberry sawfly
Nematus ribesii
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How to spot it
The gooseberry sawfly (Nematus ribesii) lays its eggs on the undersides of the leaves of gooseberries and currants, where the green, black spotted larvae hatch. These caterpillar like larvae feed from the inside of the bush outwards, usually starting on the lower, shaded branches, and can strip a bush completely bare within a few days. You recognise an infestation by the rapid holing and skeletonising of the leaves and by the clearly visible groups of larvae when you turn the leaves over. Several generations can follow one another from April to August, so regular checks are worthwhile.
Prevention
From mid April check the undersides of the leaves inside the bush regularly, since the infestation starts there first, and pick off larvae and egg clusters consistently. An airy, thinned out pruning makes it harder for the sawfly to find the shaded egg laying sites it prefers. In autumn, remove fallen leaves and loosen the soil under the bush to disturb overwintering pupae, and attract beneficial creatures such as birds and parasitic wasps to the bushes with hedges and nesting sites. Fine mesh crop protection netting over young shoots additionally helps to keep the sawflies from flying in to lay their eggs.
Affected plants
These plants in our database are especially susceptible.
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