[Chiswickian]

last night  I found one (and only one) of the branches of one of  the gooseberry bushes I planted has been stripped totally of it's leaves. I presume a bird. What sort of birds do this? I will have to net soon.
Ian

[barney rubble]

Oh dear - look on page 2 of this forum for a similar post from scabs this morning

[DD.]

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=38256.0

[scabs]

I feel your pain. 

[Chiswickian]

damn and blast

off up to the plot this evening and I guess I know what I am going to see!
Thanks all

[Babstreefern]

Sorry, not birds Chis .  Its Gooseberry sawfly .  Had them myself last week on one or two branches.  They eat the leaves, and leave the fruit.  I've got a bug spray (yellow spray bottle), and douse them with it, also do the ground around the base of the trunk.  Apparently they do come back, sometimes as much as three times a year, so keep your peeps open

[Chiswickian]

thanks Babs
you were all correct - I went up to the plot and squashed a load of the blighters. I should have checked the bush before casting aspersions on our feathered friends.  I also bought some permethrin spray and doused the plants with it but it's dear stuff.