Pest identification
What's eating my sloe?
Blackfly / cherry-blackfly aphid (Myzus cerasi & relatives)
Signs: Tightly curled, distorted new leaves and shoot tips; sticky honeydew with sooty mould.
Control: Blast off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil in spring before colonies establish. Encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
Winter moth caterpillar (Operophtera brumata)
Signs: Ragged holes in opening buds and young leaves in early spring; frass visible.
Control: Apply grease bands around trunks in October to trap wingless females. Pick off caterpillars by hand; use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray on young larvae.
Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula)
Signs: Flower buds stripped wholesale in late winter, leaving bare stems; severely reduces fruit set.
Control: Protect with fruit-cage netting or fleece over individual branches from December to bud-burst. No other reliable deterrent for persistent birds.
Brown rot (Monilinia laxa / M. fructigena)
Signs: Fruit rots on the branch; brown concentric rings of grey-white spore pustules appear.
Control: Remove and bin (do not compost) infected fruitlets promptly. Prune out mummified fruits. No effective home fungicide; good sanitation is the main control.
Keep sloe pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Sloe pests — FAQ
What is eating my sloe?
Sloe (blackthorn) is attacked mainly by aphids, winter moth caterpillars, and bullfinches that strip flower buds in winter. Brown rot fungus damages fruit but deer and rabbits browse young stems too. Aphid colonies are the most reliable annual nuisance on new growth in spring.
How do I get rid of blackfly / cherry-blackfly aphid (myzus cerasi & relatives) on sloe?
Tightly curled, distorted new leaves and shoot tips; sticky honeydew with sooty mould. Blast off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil in spring before colonies establish. Encourage ladybirds and lacewings.
How do I get rid of winter moth caterpillar (operophtera brumata) on sloe?
Ragged holes in opening buds and young leaves in early spring; frass visible. Apply grease bands around trunks in October to trap wingless females. Pick off caterpillars by hand; use Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray on young larvae.
How do I get rid of bullfinch (pyrrhula pyrrhula) on sloe?
Flower buds stripped wholesale in late winter, leaving bare stems; severely reduces fruit set. Protect with fruit-cage netting or fleece over individual branches from December to bud-burst. No other reliable deterrent for persistent birds.
How do I get rid of brown rot (monilinia laxa / m. fructigena) on sloe?
Fruit rots on the branch; brown concentric rings of grey-white spore pustules appear. Remove and bin (do not compost) infected fruitlets promptly. Prune out mummified fruits. No effective home fungicide; good sanitation is the main control.