As a passionate gardener and elderberry shrub owner myself I know just how frustrating it can be to find those pesky worms munching away on your beloved plant. But never fear – getting rid of worms in American elderberry shrubs doesn’t have to be difficult or rely on harsh chemicals.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to identify, prevent, and safely remove worm infestations from your elderberry shrubs, using natural and effective methods.
Identifying Common Worms in Elderberry Shrubs
The first step is learning to recognize the little culprits that are causing damage to your shrubs, Here are some of the most common worm species that like to feed on elderberry
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Caterpillars – These are the larvae of moths and butterflies. Look for green worms with multiple sets of prolegs along their body. They chew on leaves leaving ragged holes or complete defoliation.
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Aphids – Tiny pear-shaped insects that cluster on the undersides of leaves and stems. They suck plant sap, causing curled and yellowing leaves.
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Eriophyid Mites – Microscopic worm-like pests that cause abnormal leaf curling and stunting of growth.
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Leaf Miners – Larvae that create meandering tunnels in leaves as they feed. This damages the leaf’s ability to photosynthesize.
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Sawfly Larvae – Caterpillar-like larvae of sawflies that skeletonize leaves by devouring tissue between veins.
Carefully checking the leaves, stems, and buds of your elderberry regularly will allow you to spot infestations early, when they are easiest to control.
Eco-Friendly Ways to Get Rid of Worms
Once you’ve positively identified the worms on your elderberries, it’s time to take action. Here are some safe, non-toxic methods to get rid of them:
Handpicking
Manually removing any worms you find on the shrub is an easy and chemical-free way to quickly reduce their numbers. It’s most effective on larger worms like caterpillars.
Pruning
Prune away heavily infested stems and branches to eliminate worms and eggs concentrated in those areas. Burn or dispose of the cuttings.
Natural Predators
Introduce beneficial insects like ladybugs, lacewings, and trichogramma wasps which feed on worms. You can buy them from garden stores.
Neem Oil
The neem tree’s oil makes an excellent natural pesticide that’s effective against many soft-bodied insects. Spray a diluted solution onto affected shrubs.
Insecticidal Soaps
Kill aphids, mites, and other small soft-bodied worms with commercial insecticidal soap sprays or a homemade mixture of soap and water.
Diatomaceous Earth
This powder made from fossilized algae damages the waxy outer layer of worms, causing dehydration. Dust it onto affected shrubs.
Spinosad
A natural bacterium that’s toxic to caterpillars but safe for humans. Products with spinosad can be sprayed onto infested shrubs.
Preventing Future Worm Outbreaks
Getting rid of existing worms is only half the battle. Here are some key tips to avoid future infestations:
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Maintain proper pruning, watering, fertilization, and mulching practices to keep your shrubs healthy and strong. Worms target stressed plants.
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Check shrubs frequently for early signs of worms – early intervention is critical.
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Remove and destroy any fallen leaves, dead wood, and debris around the shrubs that provide habitat for worms.
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Rotate chemical treatments between products with different active ingredients to prevent worms from developing resistance.
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Introduce beneficial predatory insects like lady beetles and green lacewings which provide long-term worm control.
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Consider using row covers on young shrubs to physically exclude egg-laying moths.
With vigilance and integrated pest management techniques, your American elderberry shrubs can thrive worm-free, providing bountiful flowers and fruit year after year. Let us know in the comments if you have any other successful methods for controlling worms in elderberries!
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Kombucha SWD Attract-and-Kill Trap Â
1 tablespoon yeast with 4 tablespoons sugar in 12 oz of (initially warm) water, using Red Star active dry yeast. At least 3 traps per acre around periphery for small plots as well as some in the middle. Hang off the ground in shady areas since the flies like cool, not hot or cold.Â
For organic control use Entrust/2oz with NuFilm for best results. Alternate with Pyganic. More details and specifics at the U of MN web sites.
U of Pennsylvania article on managing SWD:Â http://extension.psu.edu/publications/ee0045
U of MASS / Amherst article on managing SWD:Â https://extension.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/spotted-wing-drosophila/management
U of MASS / Amherst basic recommendations for SWD management:Â http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a79be8aeff868147564e71610&id=1b9422fa5d&e=628ad65294
Midwest Elderberry Cooperative Organic Feasibility Study, page 10, noted that âresearch in Oregon has noted that bagging fruit inside clear or black plastic bags contain(ing) adult flies, and placing these bags in the sun will kill SWD.â
2015-2016 comments: Terry Durham in Missouri recommends liberal use of Neem Oil for organic control of SWD. He sprays it on the leaves and the soil. Neem Oil provides other benefits to soil health as well.
Rove Beetles Eat Spotted Wing Drosophila Larvae http://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/scientist-has-sights-on-shooting-down-spotted-wing-drosophila/ âThey found that the rove beetle ate larvae, or immature flies, but not pupae â a more advanced developmental stage â of spotted wing drosophila, so more research is needed.”
Safe repellents that protect fruit from spotted wing Drosophila found, Jun 22, 2015
October 2013 Notes from Terry Durham on SWD/elderberry bud mite infestations:
- These Asian fruit flies have a 5 day lifecycle, which makes organic control difficult to use exclusively.
- They are infertile over 90 degrees F
- The larvae are difficult to observe in fresh fruit but come out on to container walls when berries are cooled.
- The larvae do not spoil the taste of the juice or fruit.
- The juicing process will eliminate any larvae if present in berries.
- Berry juice % varies from 50-80% by weight, thus onsite measurement is required for price adjustment as part of the quality assessment.
- For mite infestations, Terry recommends dormant oil sprayed on the leafless canes, covering the buds where the mites overwinter.
January 2017 MFVGA Conference Notes from Dan Moe on SWD netting:Â
NY blueberry grower Dale ila Riggs, The Berry Patch,
The netting provides 5 way protection.  Not only does it prevent SWD infestation, it also protects against birds, strong winds, heavy rain, and hail.  In 2014, the first year that I used it, it went through 3 severe thunderstorms and 2 hail storms with pea size hail and we had no problems with the netting. The per roll prices are listed below.  The more rolls you buy, the cheaper it is per roll.  The rolls are 328 feet long.
Roll size & prices: 1 roll, 2-5 rolls, 6-10 rolls, 11 rolls or more
- 6.5 â x 328â $268 $258/roll $247/roll $237/roll
- 13â x 328â $528 $508/roll $489/roll $469/roll
- 26 x 328â (custom sewn)  1 or 2 sheets is $1236 per panel; 3-5 sheets is $1198/panel;  more than 5 sheets is $1158/panel. Shipping is on top of the above charges.
Organic Control of Canadian ThistleSummer 2021 SARE Field Notes, Chris McGuire, organic apple grower
âThe key is that you have to kill the thistle shoots every three weeks repeatedly. They grow back, and then you kill them again three weeks later. We found than any method of killing the shoots is effective – cutting, pulling or spraying with an organic herbicideâ¦The short, three-week interval exhausts the plants and depletes their strength, gradually killing them.â
âThe McGuiresâ¦found that cutting the thistles with a gas-powered string trimmer and slicing them off with a diamond hoe were the most cost-effective techniques.”
Sawflies – Light colored ones like these seen on MN elderberry plants
Sawflies are a group of insects related to wasps and bees. Their name is derived from the saw-like ovipositor the adult female uses to lay eggs. Adult sawflies are inconspicuous wasp-like insects that do not sting. The larval or immature stage of sawflies are plant feeders and look like hairless caterpillars (the immature stage of butterflies and moths). The most distinguishing character between sawflies and caterpillars is the number of prolegs (fleshy, leg-like projections) on the abdomen. Caterpillars have 2-5 prolegs on the abdomen (Fig. 1), while sawflies have 6 or more. Sawflies often feed in groups and can quickly defoliate portions of their host plant. There are many different species of sawflies and each prefers specific plants or groups of related plants. Some of the more common sawflies that feed on trees and shrubs in Minnesota are described in this publication
Four-Lined Plant Bugs have been seen in Minnesota on elderberryâs new growth.
Four-lined plant bugs: Attractive with a big appetite
Pests & Problems
Spotted Wing Drosophila in Minnesota Updates Use this link to read the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Entomologists Mark Asplen and Mark Abrahamson Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) flies sighted in Minnesota fruit fields during the current year. SWD flies are invasive insect pests that can damage berry crops. Growers are urged to take action to manage the pests as soon as they are detected.
Management of Spotted Wing Drosophila using Organic Strategies, February 8, 2017Â
This is the second in a series of SWD webinars. Presenters and participants included: Ash Sial of the University of Georgia, Dalila Rendon & Vaughn Walton of Oregon State University, Mary Rogers of the University of Minnesota, and Matthew Grieshop, Philip Fanning & Harit Bal of Michigan State University.
Spotted wing drosophila management recommendations for Wisconsin raspberry growersChristelle Guédot, Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin; (608) 262-0899; [email protected]
Spotted wing drosophila is a vinegar fly that was first detected in Racine County, Wisconsin in 2010 and in 2012 populations were confirmed in Bayfield, Washburn, Brown, Dane, Door, Fond du Lac, Marinette, Monroe, Pierce, Vernon, Winnebago, and Wood Counties. SWD prefers soft skinned fruit such as raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, cherry, and blackberry. In 2012, raspberry growers experienced severe crop losses due to SWD in Wisconsin. [Click here to continue reading, which includes several excellent pictures.]
How to Remove Fall Webworms from Your Trees without Chemicals!
FAQ
What are the worms in my elderberry bush?
How do you get rid of worms in shrubs?
How to get rid of elderberry borers?
What is eating my elderberry bush?
Are there aphids on my elderberry plant?
It does look like you have Elder Aphids on your Elderberry plant. You did the correct control by washing off the pests with a strong spray of water. Our factsheet on Sucking Insects That Affect Vegetables includes the following : Aphids: Often called plant lice, are small, soft-bodied insects.
What pests eat elderberry plants?
Some of the most common pests that you find on elderberry plants are cane borers, aphids, and thrips. These are all winged insects that feast on the leaves of your plants. Some are more challenging to spot than others, so make sure you check the underside of the leaves.
Do elderberry plants have bugs?
Don’t panic if you notice a couple of elderberry bugs hanging out on your plants. These are typically easy to remove with pesticides or avoid altogether with floating row covers. Some of the most common pests that you find on elderberry plants are cane borers, aphids, and thrips. These are all winged insects that feast on the leaves of your plants.
How to grow elderberry plants?
For a complete background on how to grow elderberry plants, we recommend starting from the beginning. Infected plant will produce blackened, malformed or dead buds, and will appear weak. Spread through worms traveling in the soil or pollen transfer. Natural Control Test for nematodes prior to planting, good weed control. Other Control Options