What's eating my black currant?

Black currant is heavily targeted by the big bud mite, which transmits reversion virus — a disease that permanently reduces yield. Currant aphid distorts leaves in spring; sawfly caterpillars can strip a bush bare by mid-summer. Birds strip ripe fruit within days. Big bud mite and reversion disease together are the most serious long-term threat.

Buds swell abnormally large ('big bud') and fail to break in spring; mite vectors reversion phytoplasma — infected bushes produce tiny, barren flowers and no fruit. There is no cure Buy certified virus-free stock; remove and burn affected bushes immediately; use resistant cultivars (Ben Hope, Ben Gairn); avoid tools moving between bushes

Red or yellow puckered blisters on upper leaf surface in spring — the aphid colonies feed on the underside; severe infestations stunt new growth Inspect undersides early in spring; squash or rub off colonies; insecticidal soap or pyrethrin spray before leaf curl traps them

Pale-green, black-spotted caterpillars start at the centre of the bush and work outwards, stripping leaves completely — a fully defoliated bush can occur in days Check the centre of the bush from late spring for early instars; hand-pick; pyrethrin, neem oil, or Bt spray on young larvae; birds are effective natural predators

Entire trusses of ripe berries stripped in a matter of hours; blackbirds are especially persistent at the fruiting stage Drape fine bird netting over bushes from when fruit first colours; a permanent fruit cage is the most reliable long-term solution for the garden