A pest dangerous to the crop - the gooseberry sawfly and methods for effectively combating it

The sawfly is the most harmful insect, capable of reducing the yield by 95% of not only gooseberries, but also currants. Pale-footed and yellow gooseberry sawflies are dangerous. When the first signs of their vital activity are detected, it is important to take immediate action. How to deal with sawfly on gooseberries, you will learn from the article.

Signs of gooseberry damage by sawfly

The main damage is caused by the caterpillars of the yellow and pale-legged sawflies. They are rapidly gnaw leaves, leaving only veins.

The second, third and fourth generations are especially dangerous, as they are considered the most voracious.

How to recognize a pest

Adults of the yellow sawfly are reddish-yellow in color, while those of the pale-legged sawfly are black interspersed with light spots on the body and legs. The length of these insects is no more than 8 mm. Their larvae belong to the group of pseudo-caterpillars with 10 pairs of legs. The length of the larvae ranges from 1 to 1.8 cm.

The female lays eggs on the underside of the leaves. Therefore, during a spring inspection of bushes, numerous clutches are often discovered.

The first spring generation lives 20-25 days. During this time, insects eat half of the green mass of the bush. They then fall to the ground and pupate.

The second generation begins to harm during the flowering of the plant, the third and fourth - during the fruiting period.

Damage caused

Harmfulness varies by generation. The first brood remains invisible. Insects eat newly emerging leaves.Then they give life to the second wave pests.

The next generation attacks currants, then moves on to gooseberries. In 1-2 weeks they completely eat up the bushes. Gooseberries weaken, stop growing, and lose resistance to low temperatures.

The third and fourth waves continue to affect gooseberries. The berries are small and fall off prematurely. The productivity of the bushes decreases, and the future harvest does not ripen.

Reference. As the gooseberry weakens, it is additionally affected by various diseases. These are powdery mildew, scab, septoria, anthracnose, rust, gray rot. The pest, coupled with the disease, completely destroys the plantings; it is impossible to save them.

Causes of defeat

The main reasons are drought, warm autumn and the love of insects for herbaceous plants. Human negligence does not play a special role here. Sawflies spread by migration, leaving millions of offspring. Caterpillars survive in any conditions, safely devouring all crops.

Insects are attracted to the content of pungent or bitter alkaloids in the leaves of gooseberries, red and black currants. The gardener is only required to destroy the brood and carry out preventive measures.

Ways to get rid of sawfly on gooseberries

Eliminating the sawfly is a difficult task, especially in the summer. If in the spring it is possible to cope with a small population, then with the second and subsequent generations the fight only becomes more difficult.

To get rid of them, chemicals, folk remedies, agrotechnical and mechanical methods are used.

Chemicals

Used in critical cases. Do not use during flowering and fruiting of gooseberries. In the first case, the chemicals will cause the death of bees and bumblebees, in the second - poisoning of berries.

Popular products and instructions for their use:

1. "Kinmiks." Insecticide of enteric contact action. Sold in 2.5 ml ampoules for treating small areas. One ampoule is diluted in 10 liters of water and sprayed onto the plants. Working fluid consumption is up to 1-1.5 liters per bush. Use within 6 hours after dilution, otherwise the drug will lose its properties. Perform 1-2 treatments throughout the season: before flowering and after harvest.
2. "Karate". Broad-spectrum insecticide. Available in 2 ml capsules for treating small garden plots. 1 ml of the drug is dissolved in 1 liter of water, adjusted to a volume of 10 liters. Spray the leaves from all sides. Working composition consumption is 0.3-0.5 liters per bush. Be sure to alternate with drugs of a similar effect, otherwise the pests will get used to the insecticide. Shrubs are treated once - before flowering or after harvesting.
3. «Decis Lux". Available in ampoules of 5 ml. 5 ml of the drug is dissolved in 10 liters of water and used for spraying for 4 hours. Liquid consumption - 2 liters per bush. Frequency of application - 2 times with an interval of 2 weeks: before flowering or after the end of fruiting.

Pesticides are dangerous to the human body, so work with them only in protective clothing and gloves. Spraying is carried out early in the morning or in the evening, 8 hours before rain.

Traditional methods

Apply at any stage of gooseberry formation. They are safe for plants and humans. In addition to protection, many compositions well nourish the bushes with potassium, phosphorus, cobalt, fluorine, and iodine.

Effective folk remedies and tips for their use:

1. Chamomile infusion. 1 kg of plants is finely chopped, poured with hot water, left for 10-12 hours, filtered.1/2 of the infusion is diluted in 5 liters of water, add a bar of laundry soap (crushed). The resulting mixture is sprayed onto the bushes.
2. Wormwood infusion. 1.2 kg of grass is poured into 10 liters of water. Leave for 3 days, filter, add 70 g of baking soda. The resulting mixture is sprayed onto the bushes.
3. Pine tincture. 2 kg of coniferous branches are poured into 10 liters of water. Leave for 6-8 days, filter. Dilute with water 3 times. Carefully spray the bushes and leaves on both sides.

The treatment is repeated every 7-10 days. It is useful to add 1-2 tbsp to tinctures. wood ash. Spraying is carried out only in the morning or evening. If it rains afterwards, the procedure is repeated.

Agrotechnical techniques

The recommendations are as follows:

1. The gooseberry bush is regularly inspected for the appearance of cobwebs or plaque, curled or chewed leaves.
2. Fallen branches, fruits, leaves are collected and burned. This prevents the hatching of larvae.
3. Water only at the roots. Change the mulch every 2-3 weeks.
4. The bush is formed by removing old, deformed and dry branches.
5. Do not allow thickening. Colonies caterpillars quickly move from one plant to another.
6. Green manure crops are planted nearby: oregano, garlic, mustard, green onions. The intense smell of plants will repel insects.

Mechanical methods

The caterpillars are collected before processing the gooseberries. To do this, place a white cloth under the bush and shake the branches vigorously.

When frightened, the pests curl up into a ring and fall down. The fabric is carefully folded and burned along with the caterpillars.

Features of pest control in different periods

Experienced gardeners recommend remembering the main rules:

1. During the resting stage, chemicals are used.
2. During the flowering and fruiting period, folk remedies and mechanical methods are acceptable.
3. After harvesting, pesticides are used again.
4. If caterpillars get inside the berries during fruiting, they are collected by hand and burned. Afterwards the bush is treated with folk remedies or biological preparations.

Gooseberry varieties resistant to sawfly

Breeders have managed to develop gooseberry varieties that are most resistant to insect attacks:

• early ripening - Ural emerald, Prune, Rodnik;
• mid-season - Grushenka, Kolobok, Northern Captain;
• late ripening - Defender, Cooperator, Leningrader.

If you do not care for gooseberries, pests will eat even resistant varieties. Timely pruning and preventive measures are required.

Preventive measures

The following types of work will reduce the risk of sawfly:

1. At the end of October, plant residues are collected in a heap and burned. The earth is being loosened. If there were too many pests, the top layer of soil is replaced with a new one. 10 cm is enough.
2. At the same time, the tree trunk circle is covered with dense black agrofibre. The material will not allow the surviving larvae to rise to the surface.
3. In early spring, after the snow melts, the soil around the gooseberries is spilled with boiling water. It will destroy the surviving caterpillars.
4. Afterwards, old, diseased and dry branches are removed. The sections are covered with wood ash.
5. Loosen the soil after each watering. Remove all weeds. The tree trunk circle is mulched with straw or humus.

Helpful Tips and Mistakes to Avoid

Experienced gardeners do not recommend planting gooseberries in a place where black or red currants previously grew. These crops have common pests and diseases.

Resistant varieties should be selected and preventive measures and mechanical techniques should not be neglected. Chemicals are used only before flowering and after harvesting. If currants grow nearby, they are processed simultaneously with gooseberries.

Conclusion

Sawflies are the most dangerous pests of gooseberries. Carrying out preventive measures will prevent the appearance of caterpillars. If they are already eating the bushes, chemicals and folk remedies will come to the rescue.