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| Raspberry Beetle |
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A common pest on raspberries and many other ‘cane’ fruits, such as blackberry, loganberry and tayberry,
Autumn raspberries ripening after late August are generally unaffected
The signs are damaged ripe berries drying up and turning greyish-brown.
On investigation an off white grub approx. 8mm (3/8”) long, may be found inside the berry.
These grubs are the larvae of a 4mm (1/8”) long brown beetle that lays its eggs during the flowering season.
The young larvae feed at the stalk end of the developing fruits, and later move into the central plug.
The larvae pupate in late summer and move into the soil to overwinter.
Spray or dust raspberries with a suitable insecticide when the fruit starts to change colour, and apply a second application two weeks later.
Treat loganberry and tayberry when 80% of the flower petals have dropped and blackberries when the first flowers open.
Apply pesticides in the evening when bees are not active.
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