Bugs on Cherry Plants

11fernsroad

Hi

Our two cherry plants about 4 metres apart has this black ant like bugs on the leaves making them curled and shrivelled.Happened same time last year too.

Pictures attached.

Any ideas what they are and how best to get rid of them?

Many Thanks

Justagardener

Most likely cherry black fly, if the trees are small you could spray them with a pesticide like bug clear and stop the spread. The damage is often done once the leaves curl. If you remember use a winter tree wash in the winter to kill the eggs and  break the cycle. Unsightly but the tree will survive

Farway

As Justag says, it's blackfly, [aphids]. If you've fruit on the cherry, as I have, then I'd avoid spraying until you've picked the fruit, shouldn't be long now

Then spray with a systemic insecticide, or hope some lady birds  / blue t1ts take pity on you and eat them

Whatever action you take the tree will survive as stated above

ed110220

My cherry tree (variety Sweetheart) gets these badly every year. Left untreated it's so bad that the tree doesn't put on any extension growth and the tips of the branches actually die back. The way they make the leaves curl shields the aphids from most sprays. Trying soap sprays and various insecticides the only one that works well is the systemic insecticide actetamiprid. As it's systemic, you only have to hit the top surface of the leaf for it to go through to the other side and kill the aphids. It is unfortunately dangerous to bees so only apply it after the tree has finished flowering and you also need to leave at least 14 days between spraying and harvest. The aphids start attacking while the tree is flowering so I spray as soon as the flowers are finished and the bees are no longer about (evening is best) and then again in early summer if they have returned. 

It's sold as Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil killer, but I bought some of the agricultural grade stuff on Ebay. Use at the rate of 0.1g acetamiprid/litre of water, which is 20ml/litre of Bug Clear Ultra Vine Weevil killer or 2ml/litre of the stronger agricultural stuff.

I try to avoid using pesticides, but acetamiprid is the only thing that I've actually found works for these.

twopenny

Thank you ed.... my new little cherry tree is looking very sad and blackened. I've sprayed and wiped the leaves. the ants are having a field day but nothing seems to stop these bugs. My tree is a dwarf pot variety so should be easy to net so other insects aren't harmed.

Farway

2P, I'd check the ants haven't got a nest in the pot as well

twopenny

Faraway, I will. But the place is inundated with ants as neither neighbour deals with them and garden backs onto open grassland.

At least they're not in the house now which they were when I viewed it. I've made serious inroads into their nesting in my garden.