"Robert (Plymouth)" wrote in message
...


I would find them and squash them on the leaf

If too many to squash Liquid Derris seems to work. Wash gooseberies
before eating.

Paul
Derris kills anything that moves so you would have to be desperate to use
that

When you have a bad infestation of gooseberry sawfly you ARE desperate.
EVERY leaf has to be turned and inspected and if the larvae are small
they're not always easy to see.

And nothing eats the things. Our fish would ignore them, our hens look and
walk away and wild birds aren't interested.

What's more, squashing the caterpillars doesn't control the next generation
which is at the egg stage. Derris will see to eggs and adults.

I hate using any pesticide but desperate conditions demand desperate
solutions. The sawfly will also attack other plants, Solomon's Seal and some
ribes.

Mary