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Gardeners’ Forum: “What's eating my Highbush Cranberry”

• What's eating my Highbush Cranberry

  Posted by George Norman on Sunday, June 17, 2007 6:07 pm ADT

  I had small success against these critters last year by knocking them off the bush with a hose and soapy water, but this year they caught me by surprise and have just about eaten the whole 10 foot bush, except for about 3 feet at the top. These are small black grubs, about 1/4" long, wider at the back than at the front, and they only seem to bother the Cranberry. The leaves are eaten right down to a lacework, then they turn to powder and fall off. They appear just before the buds break, and seem to be gone now that what's left is in flower. Hopefully it will leaf out again, but I need to know what to do next Spring, if anyone can help.

  • re: What's eating my Highbush Cranberry

    Posted by peihobby on Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:37 pm ADT

    i'm not sure of the name of the grubs but i'd suggest that early spring u put a grub pesticide around the area of the cranberry. Personally, i'm not one for use of pesticides but this year I have given up on on being totally green. You need to get the eggs or the grubs will keep eating until they kill your plant.

  • re: What's eating my Highbush Cranberry

    Posted by NMcMillan on Friday, August 31, 2007 1:12 am ADT

    I have a similar problem just in the last few weeks with my purple sandcherries. I came across an article in a past Gardens West magazine (with a picture of these) which states these are pear slugs. They are not slugs but actually a sawfly. The larva (that looks like a slug) is about 1/2 inch, black with a bulbous end. Washing them with a hose or physically removing/destroying them is suggested. However it states the larva will drop down to the ground and pupate. Females will insert eggs into the leaves and the cycle starts over. The first generation hatches June/July the second generation in September. My next step is getting advice from a garden centre to get rid of them.