Insects Eating Strawberries

Evade

I decided to plant some strawberries this year and they seem to be doing well but all the ripe ones are being eaten by slugs and what looks like some kind of woodlouse. I washed them with soapy water a few days ago but it hasn't worked yet. Does anyone have any other suggestions to keep them at bay?

macraignil

Dry clean straw under the berries is some help but not 100% effective and picking regularly and eliminating any slugs you find also helps.

The Continental Op

Birds love them so you may also need to net them and don't get me going on squirrels who love to eat them when they are still green.

CelticRambler

Also ants: although they don't attack perfect fruit, if it's damaged in any way, ants will move in to clean it up.

I've given up putting straw under mine, as I found that it only provided a perfect shaded, humid environment for the slugs without offering any obvious protection for the fruit; whereas not having it meant there was more sun getting to the soil, drying its surface and (it seemed) discouraging the slugs from wandering through those beds.

rovers_runner

Grow them in large pots, 70cm or more, well off the ground.
Cover sides and top with netting and you are sorted with regards to birds too.

Noticing some whitefly on mine lately from time to time, but hosing the plant off and spray with soapy water sorts that.

Jim_Hodge

CelticRambler wrote: »

Also ants: although they don't attack perfect fruit, if it's damaged in any way, ants will move in to clean it up.

I've given up putting straw under mine, as I found that it only provided a perfect shaded, humid environment for the slugs without offering any obvious protection for the fruit; whereas not having it meant there was more sun getting to the soil, drying its surface and (it seemed) discouraging the slugs from wandering through those beds.

Yes, straw won't stop slugs. It is used to keep the fruit off the soil, so is cleaner. It also acts as a weed suppressor.