Sawfly
- Thread starter Sermet
- Start date
Yes, Sawfly eat the leaves while in larval stage. Fruit shouldn't be affected. Spray them off with the hose, or pick them off with a tweezer. Then, in fall, cultivate the soil around the base of the tree and look for cocoons. They hibernate in those in winter then hatch in spring into adults. Removing the cocoons greatly reduces the populations.
- Joined
- Feb 13, 2021
- Messages
- 4,027
- Reaction score
- 2,529
- Country
I thought 'Common name, I wonder if the UK and US things given it are the same?' I just had a quick look at 'UK sawflies' on Google, there are over 500 species !!
Not gone far in, but a UK website was suggesting leave them if they can be tolerated, they are part of a healthy garden diversity, but if they cause intolerable damage go for the caterpillars that are doing the damage. They suggest you do that manually and avoid poisons, I would suggest that if you find it distasteful a plastic glove to stop them squishing on your hands can help, I use one with slugs if i go out with a torch after them.
Not gone far in, but a UK website was suggesting leave them if they can be tolerated, they are part of a healthy garden diversity, but if they cause intolerable damage go for the caterpillars that are doing the damage. They suggest you do that manually and avoid poisons, I would suggest that if you find it distasteful a plastic glove to stop them squishing on your hands can help, I use one with slugs if i go out with a torch after them.