raspberry and blackberry pests

[shirlton]

I know that some of you dont like spraying anything but I am fed up of the grubs getting to my fruit before I do. When is the best time to spray Raspberries and Blackberries

[shirlton]

[shirlton]

Anyone willing to share their knowledge

[goodlife]

Just after flowering..when fruit is set..

[goodlife]

I use rhubarb leaves under gooseberry bushes as a mulch for this purpose...sawfly larvae do not like it..
It would be worth while experiment this year for you to try this under you raspberry canes...see if it works for them too....but eat the nice stalks first.. ;)

[jennym]

Beetle - they are attracted by the flowers I understand, so think that spraying after the fruit has set doesn't work, because they've already laid their eggs, which will turn into the grubs that you get in the fruit itself. Commercially they check how many are about, then spray as soon as numbers build up, but basically if you spray when the flowers are out on a still dry day, you should nab a few.
Midge - Spraying at the base of the canes, now the weather has warmed will help to control some of the pests that have eggs in the soil and woody parts of the cane. When they hatch, the grubs attack the canes and weaken them so that fungal infections get in.

[shirlton]

The info was conflicting so went and found the info on the web. Hope it helps someone else too



The raspberry beetle and it's maggot - grub, is probably the most destructive annoying pest of raspberries, blackberries and loganberries. Many are not found until the ripe raspberries undergo the ritual 'drowning' in cold water before being prepared as puddings etc.

The adult beetles feed on the flowers, where they lay their eggs. The young maggots than bore into the young fruit where they feed until either picked or the fruit drops. The maggot then lives in the ground - overwinters and emerges as the adult beetle, ready to begin the life cycle again with either raspberries, blackberries or loganberries as hosts.

Derris is still being suggested as a control on some web sites and many books. We do not agree with this, as derris is now withdrawn, and in any case cannot be used after September 2009.  As far as we are concerned, if it is bad enough to be withdrawn, then responsible gardeners should not use it.

Bifenthrin can be used - a contact insecticide - on Raspberries as the fruits first start to turn pink, on blackberries just prior to flowers opening and on other hybrids, loganberries etc, spray when the petals have fallen.

The image of the Raspberry beetle, it's larvae maggot above is considerably larger than actual.

   

[shirlton]

I use rhubarb leaves under gooseberry bushes as a mulch for this purpose...sawfly larvae do not like it..
It would be worth while experiment this year for you to try this under you raspberry canes...see if it works for them too....but eat the nice stalks first.. ;)

Having read that the pests winter underground I am going to test your theory. As someone on here said to me "Whats life without a bit of experimentation" Will let you know if it works.