Pest identification
What's eating my honeoye strawberry?
Vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)
Signs: Grubs eat roots causing plant collapse; particularly damaging in container culture
Control: Steinernema kraussei nematodes applied in late summer; sticky trap barriers on pot rims
Slugs
Signs: Early-ripening berries scarred or hollowed; losses can be heavy in wet springs
Control: Straw under fruit; ferric phosphate pellets; night patrols after rain
Birds
Signs: Early fruiting makes Honeoye especially attractive before other soft fruits ripen
Control: Fine-mesh netting over rows from fruit set; peg all edges to prevent access from below
Tarnished plant bug / common green capsid (Lygus rugulipennis in UK)
Signs: Distorted, seedy, cat-faced berries; damaged tips on fruits; most visible in early summer
Control: Keep area weed-free (bugs overwinter in weeds); row covers before flowering; remove debris after harvest
Keep honeoye strawberry pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Honeoye Strawberry pests — FAQ
What is eating my honeoye strawberry?
Honeoye is an early-season US strawberry variety and attracts the typical strawberry pest suite. Vine weevil grubs are the most destructive; slugs damage the early ripe fruit; birds are highly active in early summer. Tarnished plant bug (in the US) can distort developing berries. Net, mulch, and apply nematodes for vine weevil control.
How do I get rid of vine weevil (otiorhynchus sulcatus) on honeoye strawberry?
Grubs eat roots causing plant collapse; particularly damaging in container culture Steinernema kraussei nematodes applied in late summer; sticky trap barriers on pot rims
How do I get rid of slugs on honeoye strawberry?
Early-ripening berries scarred or hollowed; losses can be heavy in wet springs Straw under fruit; ferric phosphate pellets; night patrols after rain
How do I get rid of birds on honeoye strawberry?
Early fruiting makes Honeoye especially attractive before other soft fruits ripen Fine-mesh netting over rows from fruit set; peg all edges to prevent access from below
How do I get rid of tarnished plant bug / common green capsid (lygus rugulipennis in uk) on honeoye strawberry?
Distorted, seedy, cat-faced berries; damaged tips on fruits; most visible in early summer Keep area weed-free (bugs overwinter in weeds); row covers before flowering; remove debris after harvest