About Nematus ribesii (Scopoli, 1763)
Nematus ribesii (Scopoli, 1763) is a species of sawfly belonging to the family Tenthredinidae. Its common English names are common gooseberry sawfly and imported currantworm. This insect is most widely known as a pest that targets gooseberries. Its larvae feed on the plant's foliage, often completely defoliating the host plant. Like all sawflies, this species is a hymenopteran and not classified as a true fly. This insect can produce up to three generations each year, with larvae emerging between the months of April and September. This generation pattern differs from that of Nematus leucotrochus, the pale-spotted gooseberry sawfly, which only produces one generation per year. Female common gooseberry sawflies lay their eggs on the undersides of leaves, and the larvae move upward through the plant as they feed, stripping all foliage from the plant. Larvae of this species grow up to 2 centimeters long, are green in color, have a black head, and have black spots running along their bodies. Adult sawflies are yellowish with black markings, and females are slightly larger than males.
