Woodlice in strawberries

[sussexbaker]

Hi all

I've got a raised bed full of strawberries, half the bed is covered in weed suppressant fabric, the other half isn't, and the whole lot is covered in straw. The bed is full of strawberry plants with lots of fruit on them. However every time I go to pick a juicy looking fruit I find it's been hollowed out by woodlice. Very frustrating as last year's harvest was devoured by birds before I got to them (this year I've covered the whole bed in netting). So is there anyway to get rid of the little sods (just to add to the problem there's ants in the bed which makes sorting through it quite painful at times)? I saw that T&M sell an ant powder which apparently kills woodlice as well, but I'm a bit worried about a)Using a poison on fruit that it going to be eaten, and b)using poison about 2m from my bee hives. Is there any other remedies I could use? I've used Nemaslug on the bed which seems to have had a huge impact on the slug population, so something similar for woodlice would be great.

Thanks

 

[jonnybeegood]

Hi all

I've got a raised bed full of strawberries, half the bed is covered in weed suppressant fabric, the other half isn't, and the whole lot is covered in straw. The bed is full of strawberry plants with lots of fruit on them. However every time I go to pick a juicy looking fruit I find it's been hollowed out by woodlice. Very frustrating as last year's harvest was devoured by birds before I got to them (this year I've covered the whole bed in netting). So is there anyway to get rid of the little sods (just to add to the problem there's ants in the bed which makes sorting through it quite painful at times)? I saw that T&M sell an ant powder which apparently kills woodlice as well, but I'm a bit worried about a)Using a poison on fruit that it going to be eaten, and b)using poison about 2m from my bee hives. Is there any other remedies I could use? I've used Nemaslug on the bed which seems to have had a huge impact on the slug population, so something similar for woodlice would be great.

Thanks

You sure its woodlice not slugs? Woodlice dont tend to eat fresh fruit?

 

[enrico]

We have ended up putting them in oblong tubs on a frame. But it depends on how many plants you have! We get about 36 plants in ours. Just a cheap metal frame with plastic pots. I think we bought it from one of those cheap places. It is good because when they are pollinated we can move the lot into the greenhouse to stop the birds eating the fruit! Google multi level patio grower.£25 with the pots from amazon
E

 

[sussexbaker]

You sure its woodlice not slugs? Woodlice dont tend to eat fresh fruit?

Every one I've picked up have got woodlice in it. I did dose with Nemaslug a few weeks ago and haven't seen any sign of slugs since. Might have to go out with a torch tonight to see.

 

[sussexbaker]

We have ended up putting them in oblong tubs on a frame. But it depends on how many plants you have! We get about 36 plants in ours. Just a cheap metal frame with plastic pots. I think we bought it from one of those cheap places. It is good because when they are pollinated we can move the lot into the greenhouse to stop the birds eating the fruit! Google multi level patio grower.£25 with the pots from amazon
E

Sadly my greenhouse isn't big enough for them and my tomatoes and chillies (14 tomato plants and about 10 chillies)! I had a quick look but the one Google found was about £80.

 

[MartinL]

Hi all
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I saw that T&M sell an ant powder which apparently kills woodlice as well, but I'm a bit worried about a)Using a poison on fruit that it going to be eaten, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Thanks

doesn't need to be anywhere near the bees to kill them if they are foraging on the flowers!

The woodies will be eating the rotten bits around the edge, something else will be making the hole.
Too early for wasps, are you sure the birds can't get in somewhere?

 

[sussexbaker]

doesn't need to be anywhere near the bees to kill them if they are foraging on the flowers!

The woodies will be eating the rotten bits around the edge, something else will be making the hole.
Too early for wasps, are you sure the birds can't get in somewhere?

Very true.

Fairly sure birds can't get in. I've supports that hold netting about 6" above the plants, and the netting comes down over the side of the bed. Must be slugs!

 

[MikeT]

I am fairly sure you have an infection of Strawberry seed beetle (Harpalus rufipes). This grazes on the seed of the strawberry and on ripe fruit they eat deaper into the flesh, Damage on ripe fruit looks like slug or snail damage. Woodlouse will be a secondary pest feeding on the damaged tissue. I have the same problem with my strawberries under polythene, the ones which are on the soil are infected but those on the straw are not. No real cure for the amateur grower, commercial growers use a wide spectrum insecticide to control this pest.

Mike

 

[sussexbaker]

I am fairly sure you have an infection of Strawberry seed beetle (Harpalus rufipes). This grazes on the seed of the strawberry and on ripe fruit they eat deaper into the flesh, Damage on ripe fruit looks like slug or snail damage. Woodlouse will be a secondary pest feeding on the damaged tissue. I have the same problem with my strawberries under polythene, the ones which are on the soil are infected but those on the straw are not. No real cure for the amateur grower, commercial growers use a wide spectrum insecticide to control this pest.

Mike

Hi Mike

Those certainly seem like they could be the culprits. Interesting that your ones on straw aren't affected as my are all on straw and are. Guess I'll have to look at doing some reading and maybe moving where the strawberries are being grown.

Thanks

 

[MikeT]

I should have explained the whole of my bed is strawed but the odd strawberry is on the soil as I was rather late in strawing up. I should have mentioned the commercial control of ground beetles is slug pellets, I am unsure if amateurs can buy then now. I do not have a slug problem as my soil is pure sand.

The Victorian gardeners used quicklime around their strawberry plots to stop the ingress of pests. The best control is to keep weeds down, as when strawberries are not about the beetles feed on weed seeds in the soil. Best to start a new plot for next year