My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the edges
of leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any samples at
all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was slugs but a
"knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of damage shows its
not them......but he doesn't know what is causing the damage.
Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they are not being
damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

p. pleater.

"p. pleater" wrote in message
...
My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the edges of
leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any samples at
all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was slugs but a
"knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of damage shows its not
them......but he doesn't know what is causing the damage.
Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they are not being
damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

p. pleater.




Our bet is Vine Weevil.

The adult of this eats in the pattern you describe.
Perhaps more damaging are the vine weevil grubs which feed on the roots and
destroy the plant.
We had a similar infestation which seems to have been brought under control
by nematode treatment.
We wonder what you are doing to have fruit at this time of the year ?

Regards
Peter & Jeanne.
www.thecanalshop.com

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"p. pleater" wrote in message
...
My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the edges
of leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any samples at
all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was slugs but a
"knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of damage shows its not
them......but he doesn't know what is causing the damage.
Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they are not being
damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

p. pleater.




Our bet is Vine Weevil.

The adult of this eats in the pattern you describe.
Perhaps more damaging are the vine weevil grubs which feed on the roots
and destroy the plant.
We had a similar infestation which seems to have been brought under
control by nematode treatment.
We wonder what you are doing to have fruit at this time of the year ?

I have fruit this year, and I'm totally innocent of any skulduggery.

Global warming?


--
Regards
Pat Gardiner
www.go-self-sufficient.com



Regards
Peter & Jeanne.
www.thecanalshop.com

Pat Gardiner wrote:
"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"p. pleater" wrote in message
...
My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the
edges of leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any
samples at all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was
slugs but a "knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of
damage shows its not them......but he doesn't know what is causing
the damage. Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they
are not
being damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

p. pleater.




Our bet is Vine Weevil.

The adult of this eats in the pattern you describe.
Perhaps more damaging are the vine weevil grubs which feed on the
roots and destroy the plant.
We had a similar infestation which seems to have been brought under
control by nematode treatment.
We wonder what you are doing to have fruit at this time of the year ?

I have fruit this year, and I'm totally innocent of any skulduggery.

Global warming?

I've got verbena and pelargoniums still in full flower, also salvia and
fuschias, all outdoors, and I still have a few tomatoes not ripened on the
plants in the GH (NW England)...although the wide leaved things (snails love
'em and I can't think of their name) which have a long flower stalk in
summer, seem to have given up the ghost for this year

"Peter Stockdale" wrote in message
...

"p. pleater" wrote in message
...
My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the edges
of leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any samples at
all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was slugs but a
"knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of damage shows its not
them......but he doesn't know what is causing the damage.
Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they are not being
damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

p. pleater.




Our bet is Vine Weevil.

The adult of this eats in the pattern you describe.
Perhaps more damaging are the vine weevil grubs which feed on the roots
and destroy the plant.
We had a similar infestation which seems to have been brought under
control by nematode treatment.
We wonder what you are doing to have fruit at this time of the year ?


It might be vine weevil although they seem to nibble round the edge rather
than make holes in the leaf. I have a similar problem on my strawberries
and some very thin threadlike green caterpillar type things. Never seen
them before but have treated with soap based insecticide on account of not
knowing how big and voracious they will get if left.

Gill M

On Tue, 21 Nov 2006 13:08:14 -0000, "p. pleater"
wrote:

My strawberry bed is being ravaged by something which nibbles the edges
of leaves as well as making large holes in them.
The whole bed looks like an infestation but I cannot find any samples at
all of the culprits. First thoughts were that it was slugs but a
"knowledgeable" neighbour claims that the pattern of damage shows its
not them......but he doesn't know what is causing the damage.
Strangely, I've got lots of largish unripe fruit but they are not being
damaged.
Any suggestions please ?

If they are old leaves you may as well cut them off anyway.
If it is vine weevil in open ground there's not a lot you can do.
You might water the soil with an Armillatox solution, though it is not
now advertised for that purpose, but I agree that vine weevil, in my
experience, only eat the edges of leaves, and do not make holes.
I think it more likely that it's some sort of caterpillar.
Cut the old leaves and watch out for any possible offenders.
Time will tell!

Pam in Bristol

Could it be leaf-cutter wasps? They chop out neat, nearly circular holes in leaves, and I've been plagued with them this year.

By the way, Pam, I, too, have a lot of late strawbs which are not likely to ripen now: more victims of the strange weather we've been having. I guess.

Hope this helps.