What's eating my goji berry?

Goji Berry is most seriously damaged by aphids — several species colonise new shoot tips and leaf undersides throughout the growing season. Spider mites and whitefly attack in hot, dry summers. Japanese beetles skeletonise foliage in affected US regions. Birds strip ripe berries enthusiastically. Net fruiting branches and manage aphids early to protect yields.

Curled, distorted shoot tips with dense colonies; honeydew coating and sooty mold; reduced fruit set Insecticidal soap or neem oil spray; encourage predators (ladybirds, lacewings); knock off with water jet

Fine pale stippling on leaves; bronzing and early leaf drop in hot dry summers Increase irrigation and humidity; miticide or predatory mites (Phytoseiulus persimilis)

Skeletonised leaves with only veins remaining; feeding on flowers reduces fruit set (US only) Hand-pick adults into soapy water morning; neem oil; milky spore soil treatment for larvae; avoid pheromone traps near plants

Ripe berries stripped rapidly; entire clusters lost Bird netting over fruiting canes as berries begin to colour; reflective tape as deterrent