What to do if all the gooseberry leaves have been eaten? Simple remedies can help.

An experienced gardener will immediately identify the pest if they discover a gooseberry bush completely devoid of leaves but still bearing berries. This type of plant damage is typically caused by the sawfly caterpillar. Two species of this insect can attack gooseberries: the yellow and the pale-legged.

Description of the pest

Adult sawflies are small midges with two pairs of transparent wings. The yellow sawfly is reddish-yellow in color and up to 8 mm long, while the pale-legged sawfly is black with light legs and 5-6 mm long.

The emergence of sawflies coincides with the growth of leaves and the budding of gooseberries. The insects lay their eggs on the underside of leaves along the veins. Yellow sawfly caterpillars, which hatch from eggs in 7-14 days, are gray-green or green-blue in color. The yellow-green larvae of the pale-legged sawfly emerge 6-10 days after laying.

The caterpillars feed on leaves, gaining weight. After about a month, the pest is ready to pupate, moving into the soil to a depth of 5-10 cm, where they envelop themselves in a cocoon. If the temperature is warm enough, the pupation process begins; if the caterpillars go underground for the winter, pupation does not occur until spring. In summer, conditions are more favorable, so 2-3 weeks after the caterpillars leave, a second generation of midges begins to emerge, ready to mate and lay eggs. In spring, the pupa will need about a month to complete this process. The second generation of larvae is more numerous and emerges just as fruit begins to ripen.

Symptoms and prognosis for gooseberries

The symptoms and consequences of gooseberry infestation are the same for both sawfly species. Initially, holes eaten by the caterpillars can be seen on the leaves. Gradually, the pest eats away the entire leaf blade between the veins. The sawfly caterpillars are not interested in the berries. Bare branches without shoot growth and fruit are what remain on the bush after the insect's infestation.

The sawfly is a dangerous pest for gooseberries. A bush attacked by second-generation caterpillars can lose almost its entire crown within a week. Without leaves, photosynthesis and, consequently, nutrition of the bush, including the fruit, are impossible. The berries grow small and fall from the branches before reaching maturity.

Leaf loss not only negatively impacts yield but also weakens the bush, depriving it of disease immunity and winter hardiness, and preventing the formation of growth and fruit buds. Consequently, gooseberry bushes fail to produce new growth or fruit the following year. Often, the affected plant does not survive the winter.

Fighting sawflies

Eliminating the pest and its effects will require a series of actions over several months. Treatment should begin with an inspection of the gooseberry bushes to determine whether it makes sense to preserve this year's harvest.

If more than half of the bush's foliage remains, you can try to reduce the caterpillar population using biological products, plant-based remedies, and mechanical methods. If the gooseberry has lost most of its leaves, it's best to abandon the harvest and, regardless of the plant's vegetative stage, treat it with chemicals to suppress the pest's spread as quickly as possible.

In the future, a general treatment regimen is used.

Autumn events

Before winter, it's essential to thoroughly clean the garden—collect fallen leaves and harvest debris, prune branches, and till the soil under bushes. It's best to dig before frost sets in; its purpose is to bring overwintering caterpillars to the upper soil layers, reducing the number of adults in the spring. The yellow sawfly hides at a depth of 5-7 cm, with a maximum depth of 10 cm. The pale-legged sawfly can hide at 2-5 cm from the ground. It's important to turn over the soil layers so that the pests come to the surface and freeze.

Struggle in the spring

In early spring, you can finish off any surviving pupae by pouring boiling water around the bush's trunk. This should be done when the soil has warmed up slightly, but before the plant's sap begins to flow.

The soil should be loosened and covered with plastic to create a barrier to adult insects when they attempt to fly out. If they remain on the soil surface, the gnats will die. Adult populations can also be reduced by using bait. To do this, coat pieces of cardboard painted in attractive shades, such as yellow or orange, with a viscous liquid (Vaseline, vegetable oil, or non-drying glue). You can also take advantage of the fact that gnats are repelled by strong odors: placing jars of tar, turpentine, or diesel fuel between bushes will repel the pests.

During the period of budding, the bushes must be treated with chemical insecticides.

Summer care

Chemical treatment is repeated after flowering. Spraying can be repeated after berry harvest. Between fruit set and harvest, several more treatments with safe folk remedies and bioinsecticides are recommended.

The bushes should be inspected periodically, removing affected leaves and small, unusable berries. Caterpillars should be shaken off the branches onto a sheet of plastic spread under the bush and destroyed. These procedures are carried out throughout the season until the leaves fall.

Effective remedies against sawflies

Organophosphorus compounds and pyrethroids with intestinal and contact action, as well as biological pesticides, are effective in treating bushes against sawfly caterpillars. Less effective, but more suitable for preventative measures, are folk remedies. These include decoctions of "bitter" herbs and plants (substances) with a strong aroma.

Chemicals

During the growing season, when insecticide treatments are permitted, gooseberries should be sprayed with the following preparations:

• Fufanon;
• "Kinmiks";
• Inta-Vir
• "Arrivo";
• "Spark";
• "Karate";
• "Decis Profi".

To kill adult insects, treat bushes effectively with Trichlormetaphos-3 during the midge flight period (dilute to a 0.2% solution). The product is also suitable for controlling first-generation caterpillars (can be used during budding or immediately after flowering). To treat caterpillars, dilute the product in water to create a 1% solution.

Biopreparations

In cases where urgent treatment is necessary and chemical treatments are prohibited, bioinsecticides are used. These products can be applied at any stage of gooseberry growth, including flowering. The crop can be harvested 5 days after spraying.

The following is recommended against sawflies:

• "Bitoxibacillin" - 80-100 g/10 l;
• "Dendrobacillin" - 30-50 g/10 l;
• "Lepidocid" - 30 g/10 l.

2 sprayings with a break of 7-8 days are allowed.

Folk recipes

It's best to use folk remedies at the beginning of an infestation, when the number of midges and caterpillars is low. Three treatments, separated by a week, will be effective.

The most effective:

• Tomato tops. For every bucket of water, you'll need 1/2 kg of fresh tops or 40 g of dried tops. Soak the chopped tops in water for 24 hours. Strain the prepared solution and dilute it with 3 parts water immediately before use.
• Tansy. Fresh plant parts, excluding the roots, are chopped, poured into a 1 kg bucket of water, and boiled for about 2 hours. After cooling, strain.
• Pine needle extract. This product can be purchased at a pharmacy. Add 4 tablespoons of the product to a bucket of water. Prepare the mixture immediately before use.

• Tobacco. Leaves or powder are used against sawflies. In both cases, 1 kg of raw material is required per bucket of water. The leaves are chopped and steeped in warm water, while the tobacco dust is steeped in warm or cold water. Let it steep for 24 hours.
• Mustard. 100 g of powder should be steeped in 10 liters of water for 2 days. The resulting infusion should be diluted with water in a 1:2 ratio.
• Red pepper. Use 1 kg of fresh pepper per bucket of water. Pre-cut peppers are poured with boiling water and boiled for 5 minutes. Allow the mixture to steep while it cools, strain, and use.
• Chamomile. Chop the flowers and leaves of the common chamomile plant and pour hot water (60-65°C) over them. Use 1 kg of the mixture per bucket. After steeping for half a day, strain the solution and add another 10 liters of water.
• Yarrow. For every 10 liters, use 700 g of dried or 400 g of fresh leaves and stems. Pour boiling water over the chopped herbs and let steep for 3 days.
• Wood ash. Pour 3 kg of ash into a bucket of hot water. After 48 hours, strain the infusion and spray. Dry wood ash can be used to dust bushes during midge season (1 kg per 2 bushes). This procedure is recommended early in the morning, when the gooseberry leaves are damp with dew.

It's helpful to dissolve 40 grams of soap shavings (per bucket) in all infusions and decoctions. This will extend the time the solution stays on the leaves, and caterpillars don't like soap.

Prevention

To prevent serious pest infestations, regular inspection of bushes is essential. Don't forget about the undersides of leaves, where sawfly eggs and young larvae, as well as other pests, may be hiding.

1. An elderberry bush, as well as planting tomatoes, mint, or tansy near the gooseberries, can help repel adult sawflies. A row of herbs is recommended between every six bushes.
2. The sawfly species that attack gooseberries are also dangerous to currants (red and black). Planting these crops next to each other is not recommended.
3. Autumn cleaning is important, especially digging the soil to destroy larvae.
4. It's helpful to spray the plantings with herbal infusions and decoctions two or three times per season. The best remedies are tomato tops and tansy. However, since it's important to protect against several types of pests at once, it's best to opt for more versatile options, such as wood ash and mustard and tobacco infusions.

Also, it is worth paying attention to gooseberry varieties that are highly resistant to sawfly damage:

• "Commander";
• "Northern Captain";
• "Harlequin";
• "Favorite";
• "Ural emerald"
• "Chelyabinsk green";
• "Cooperator";
• "Malachite";
• "Consul".

Reviews and advice

Lydia, 45 years old:

"An infusion of wormwood helped me against caterpillars. I used 1.5 kg of the herb per bucket of water and steeped it for 10 days. The main secret is to let the cut wormwood rest before adding water. 2-3 hours is enough. The leaves should become slightly wilted. The second secret is to add 100 g of baking soda to the finished infusion. It's an excellent remedy. If you have aconite growing in your garden, you can try making another good infusion. You need about a kilogram of the herb per bucket of water; it's best to cut the plants while they're flowering. Let them steep for 2 days."

Tatyana, 36 years old:

"Since I don't have any elderberries growing in my garden, and sawfly moths were swarming around the gooseberries this summer, I tried breaking off some elderberry branches and placing them in jars of water right between the bushes. I changed the water and the branches periodically. That works too."

Lyudmila, 44 years old:

"I'm sharing a recipe for a remedy that has replaced pine needle extract for me. More precisely, I now make it myself. I pour about 2 kg of pine needles into a bucket of water and let it sit for a week. It's important not to leave it in direct sunlight; it's best to leave it indoors, in a dark corner. Then I strain it. Pine needles are a strong remedy, so I dilute the infusion before spraying. Sometimes with three parts water, sometimes, if I've let it steep longer, with five parts water."

In warmer years, up to 3-4 generations of caterpillars can hatch in temperate climates. Therefore, pest control should begin immediately if they appear on your property and continue for 2-3 years, even if the infestation is no longer noticeable.