"David Hill" wrote in message
...
Looking at the Josta berry plants from which I never get fruit, the birds get up earlier
than I do.
I took these 2 pictures, the first shows that the plants do have fruit
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps04e78d7e.jpg
the 2nd is of some nice little caterpillars chewing away on a few leaves on just one
stem.
http://i240.photobucket.com/albums/f...ps37c7537f.jpg
I've never seen the leaves being chewed before.
Any ideas?

Caterpillars of the Magpie moth. They are a serious pest here in the
North of Scotland, starting on the Gooseberry bushes and then moving
on to the Jostaberry when the gooseberries are defoliated. Only real
solution is to squash them. As the eggs are laid in batches, if you get
them in the young stage it saves constant rummaging as they grow
and spread out.

Ardmhor