SAWFLY ALERT......check your gooseberries.

 While doing the annual juggling with hose fittings a hen blackbird landed on the panel fence which is normal but when i looked again she was hanging halfway down the panel pecking at the potted gooseberry tops, which is not normal.
Gooseberry sawfly larva were all over that branch but lucikly not too much damage done, the sawfly caterpillars are now in the chickens.
Mrs Blackbird i owe you a few strawberries.

Keep an eye on your gooseberry bushes !

Thanks for the warning 8d I will check mine tomorow.

Ditto 

I sprayed mine today after reading your post yesterday. Last year was my first with Goosberries and I was stunned when I came to my plot after a few days away to find almost bare plants. This year I am sorted with some bugspray and hope to get a decent crop. - Thanks for the reminder!

Thread Hijack...

i had sawfly last year on my solitary plant - what spray do yuo use - does it have to be a chemical one or would soap/water do?

thanks