What's eating my solaris grape?

Solaris is a disease-resistant hybrid widely grown in the UK and northern Europe. Its main insect pests are vine weevil (whose larvae attack roots), spotted wing drosophila damaging ripe thin-skinned berries, and aphids on young growth. Birds are the most consistently damaging threat. Its fungal disease resistance significantly reduces spray burden versus vinifera.

Ripe clusters picked clean or berries punctured and left to rot; damage begins as soon as sugar accumulates in the fruit. Net the vine with fine bird netting from veraison (color change) until harvest; tie the base closed; remove netting promptly after picking.

C-shaped white larvae feed on roots through winter and spring, causing sudden wilting of canes; adults notch leaf margins at night. Apply nematodes (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) to moist soil in late summer or early autumn; inspect root zone when transplanting; remove adult beetles found at night.

Females pierce ripening berries to lay eggs; larvae cause internal rot and collapse before harvest, often going undetected until picking. Set cider vinegar + dish soap monitoring traps from August; apply spinosad in the morning; harvest promptly; refrigerate picked fruit immediately.

Clusters on shoot tips and young leaves in spring; honeydew and sooty mold; winged forms spread to new growth. Encourage beneficial insects (hoverflies, lacewings); apply insecticidal soap to affected shoots; avoid over-feeding with nitrogen which promotes soft susceptible growth.