They are the dreaded pear and cherry slugs which attack cherry and plum trees. I spray with pyrethrum. Works a treat. I noticed yesterday that they had arrived on our cherry trees. Must spray tomorrow.
Good luck!

Thanks Spatz - when this roaring gale settles I'll get out with the pyrethrum. It's currently 11 degrees outside and light sleet in the rain! Probably won't have any plums left on the tree!

Linda

But it's Summer in Australia??? It can't be sleeting.
Yeah Right. We had a frost on New Years Eve a couple of years ago. it's still the talk of the town.

Linda, You can also throw handfuls of dust or fine sand over the tree--it dries the slugs out and you dont kill anything else. Merry Xmas Stewart

That might be a plan - it's so windy here that I haven't managed the pyrethrum because it just blows away. Sand I can manage, although tomorrow I've got 100 kg of pulverised cow poo to chuck around - if its still windy that might do the trick! Linda

Would wood ash work?

don't spray! a handfull of dry dirt thrown at the grubs causes them to drop off they have a very thin skin and can't stand the roughness of dirt or fine sand and will drop off the try rather than put up with the grit. I got rid of mine in Canberra by a handfull of dirt in the morning on the way to work and the same again in the afternoon.

Went out with my copious dregs from the coffee machine and had fun throwing it on the tree. Now its raining so the tree will be watered with weak coffee, maybe the slugs will get hyperactive! Didn't use dirt because we only have balls of clay. Will report on the coffee success or not. Linda

Well the coffee seems to have worked - no slugs today - either that or the gale force North Westerlies, hail and torrential rain has sent them into hibernation! Cheers Linda

The wood ash works well so far, too. It's extremely windy here, too, that's why I looked like a chimney sweep after dousing the trees with ash. Torrential rain!? I better pack more warm clothes then.

wel done comicgardner - coffee ir ash or dirt is much cheaper than any chemical

Thanks for the tip guys, we had cherry slug too. I like the wood ash idea Spatz, it's very fine and would be easy to spread.

A handfull of garden or builders lime in a bucket of water sprayed on the tree will mostly wipe out cherry and pear slugs without hurting anything else. Keep the mix stirred, the lime doesn't all dissolve.Will only last until it rains. If you haven't got rid of them by now you probably have a see through tree. cheers Peter

The coffee seems to have got rid of them. but it's been raining ever since so they will get an extra dose as soon as the sun has shone for a day - 4th January looks like being a good one! Linda