Larvae on scented geranium leaves - sawfly?

[loripo]

There are dozens of them, confined to the geraniums, and making short work of them. They are all at work on the undersides of the leaves and we'd like to know what they are and what we can do about them. Thanks

[Hedera]

They are geranium sawfly larvae. You have to pick them off, or shake the plant over a newspaper. It's a bit late to spray with anything now, or a systemic like Provado would do.

[loripo]

Thanks for that I'll pass the info on to my daughter - all her gardening books said they were 'pest free' and it seems they have their very own pest!

[Hedera]

They are about the only thing which eat geraniums! Otherwise bombproof.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Hedera

They are about the only thing which eat geraniums! Otherwise bombproof.

I've certainly seen Angle-shades caterpillars on them + also there's the South African butterfly, Geranium Bronze, which did turn up here but never established (needs frost free winters like Painted Ladies), though certainly is in Spain + other parts of the Med.

Agree not too many things eat them, slugs + snails seem to avoid them.