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Post by OasisNZ on Feb 9, 2008 20:21:45 GMT 12
AKA "Cherry Slug". We have never had a problem with this, or even seen it before, till this season. It's the larval stage of the sawfly, a small, dark coloured, non-stinging wasp. The slimy bastard little ugly pricks have done a lot of damage to our pear, plum, cherry and quince trees this year. Strange that this is the first time they have ever occurred here, and a friend in Richmond is saying the same thing. Maybe it has something to do with the fact it has been so dry at the wrong times, as the information on the following website seems to suggest that a good dousing with a hose is often all that is needed to dislodge these ugly little bastards from the foliage... www.ext.colostate.edu/Pubs/insect/05560.htmlApparently there will be no real damage to the trees themselves, this is a late summer problem, at worst it will send the trees into early hibernation, and the late frosts last year wacked all the plums, pears, quinces and cherries we did have anyway! Oh well, these things tend to happen in swings and round-abouts, we look forward to bumper crops of these fruits next year, and look out pear slugs, I'm going to kick your slimy butts next time around! ;D
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