On 03/07/2014 23:08, Roger Tonkin wrote:
Hi,

I went to pick the gooseberries today, and found that 2
uncovered bushes had been more or less cleared of fruit. I've
never had this before, so looked to see what caused it.

Usually on approach you hear the alarm call of a blackbird or thrush
disgruntled about being chased off it's patch. Jostaberries are even
worse for this problem. Reminds me it is time ot net them and the
blueberries before they show any colour or they vanish in 24 hours!

No sign of any insects on the remaining fruit, or on the
leaves.

Gooseberry sawfly eats all the leaves again pretty much overnight if you
are out of luck - happened to me one year. Quite a shock it was.

some of the fruit on the bushes was clearly beeing eaten, split
across the middle and some of the fruit eaten out.

Bushes are quite tightly packed, being in a relatively small
space with little room for expansion and are close together.

Thorns on them would I'd have thought deterred birds.

So what is eating them lease?

Birds. They like thorny bushes it keeps the cats out.


--
Regards,
Martin Brown