Just a heads up... spotted some holes in my currant leaves today.... the start of the gooseberry sawfly season...
Picked a few more off.... I noticed some ants carrying away one... so I have been picking the larvae off and dropping where the ants roam... and they've sent reinforcements... and seem quite accepting of all the larvae...
Pesticide free way to go!
A number of years ago we had a very tame blackbird. Saw me in the garden and 'demanded' I dig some worms for him. Followed me everywhere for food, off to the nest to feed the young and back again. When I had gooseberry sawfly, he followed me into the fruit cage and helped himself to them. When I went out, he followed out again. Same the next day. Until they were gone! Unfortunately blackbirds only live for two years. This one was unusually tame. I guess picking the sawfly off and dropping them near a blackbird's nest will see them gone fast too.
Some of the bushes have branches without leaves... looking bare... but plenty of fruit.... however, now my blackbirdies are stripping the currants now... not even ripe. I'm blaming the RSP on their advice about summer feeding.