Grapevine pests

What vine pests truly threaten vine vigor, foliage quality, and harvest potential? From sap-sucking insects and mites to grape worms and wood pests, their attacks can weaken the plant at various stages and cause rapid damage if the first signs aren’t detected early. Agrobiotop helps you identify these problems and provides effective solutions for viticulture , drawing on its expertise in agrobiology.

Grapevine phylloxera

Grapevine phylloxera ( Daktulosphaira vitifoliae ) is a type of aphid. On leaves, it is identified by visible galls, often green to reddish, accompanied by localized discoloration. On roots, it causes nodules on the rootlets, then more pronounced deformations on older roots, with necrosis and cracks that lead to other problems. In grafted plots, its root damage remains limited today, but the risk is increasing on susceptible material, rootstock regrowth, or ungrafted vines. Vigilance should therefore be focused on atypical vines, areas with non-sandy soils, and localized foliar infestations, as this pest maintains a high reproductive capacity over several annual generations.

European grapevine moth

The European grapevine moth (Lobesia botrana ) is a moth belonging to the Tortricidae family. It is one of the most closely monitored pests of grape clusters. In its first generation, the caterpillar primarily attacks the inflorescences. Later, the larvae bore into the berries and establish colonies on the clusters, directly weakening the harvest. The real danger often arises as harvest time approaches: the perforations promote the development of rot and compromise the quality potential of the grapes. This pest particularly thrives in hot, dry conditions, with two to four generations possible depending on the region. 

Grape berry moth

The grape berry moth (Eupoecilia ambiguella ) operates in a similar way to the European grapevine moth, exerting significant pressure on fruiting bodies. Its caterpillars initially infest the inflorescences, then the grape clusters later in the season, where the perforated berries become entry points for microorganisms responsible for disease and spoilage. It often thrives in cool, humid conditions. Its damage is evident both in crop loss and in the degradation of juice quality. 

Grapevine leafroller

The grapevine leafroller or Long-palped tortrix ( Sparganothis pilleriana ) is a moth that primarily targets the foliage, sometimes with dramatic intensity in certain areas. The caterpillars can consume a large portion of the leaves, to the point of permanently weakening the vine when attacks are repeated. The problem is therefore not limited to the lost leaf surface area: it also includes disrupted lignification, reduced vigor, increased plant susceptibility, and, in extreme cases, the death of severely affected vines. This species produces only one generation per year, with overwintering caterpillars resuming their activity in the spring.

Green leafhopper

The Green leafhopper (Empoasca vitis ) is characterized by typical leaf scorch that can quickly alter the appearance of the vineyard. On white grape varieties, the leaves turn yellow; on red grape varieties, they turn red before becoming necrotic at the edges. This symptom indicates a loss of foliage efficiency, with reduced photosynthesis, slowed ripening, and poor wood lignification. In situations of high infestation, yield reduction is not uncommon. The pest prefers warm, humid, sheltered environments and vineyards with dense vegetation. The damaging stage is primarily the larvae.

American grapevine leafhopper

With this leafhopper (Scaphoideus titanus ), the danger lies not so much in the feeding itself as in its role as a vector. It transmits the agent responsible for flavescence dorée, a disease dreaded for its agronomic and regulatory consequences. When it circulates in an infected plot, losses can become significant: reduced yield, degraded quality, weakened vines, sanitary uprooting, and mandatory control protocols in affected areas. Its annual cycle, with eggs overwintering under the bark and hatching spread between May and summer, makes monitoring highly technical.

Citrus flatid planthopper

The pruinose flatworm (Metcalfa pruinosa ) is a hemipteran insect that attracts attention due to its visual presence: waxy larval colonies, cottony sheaths, abundant honeydew, and sooty mold development. Behind these highly visible signs, the damage can be significant, affecting shoots, leaves, buds, and sometimes grape clusters. Young shoots can weaken, become brittle, or dry out, while some buds abort. The vine also suffers from honeydew, which clogs the organs and reduces photosynthetic activity. This species, well-established in many regions, produces one generation per year with eggs that overwinter under the bark.

Grapevine thrips

Grapevine thrips ( Drepanothrips reuteri ) primarily affect young tissues, which explains the diversity of their symptoms early in the season. Irregularly growing young shoots, shortened internodes, zigzag growth, spoon-shaped leaves, puckering, and then damage to young berries: this pest can disrupt the development of harvest potential well before veraison. On the berries, it causes corky appearance, cracking, and russeting, which severely detract from their presentation, especially in table grapes. 

Grapevine rust mite

Caused by the mite (Calepitrimerus vitis ), which often manifests very early, as soon as bud break, and it is this early onset that makes it so detrimental. Some buds fail to open, others produce weak, stunted shoots, or shoots that quickly fall off. The leaves remain small, sometimes mosaic-like, pleated, or puckered, with dark crusts under the veins. The shoots have short internodes, and the grape clusters may turn brown, split, or abort. Young vines are particularly vulnerable to these attacks, sometimes suffering significant losses.

Grape erineum mite

Grapevine erineum mite (Eriophyes vitis) is caused by the mite Eriophyes vitis , identified by blisters on the upper surface of leaves and a light-colored, felt-like coating on the underside. Its appearance is striking, sometimes alarming at first glance, although its severity often remains moderate in mature vines. This does not mean it is harmless: when it occurs early and intensely, it can reduce photosynthesis, disrupt flowering, and lead to fruit drop (poor fruit set). Some infestations also affect the flowers. The mite responsible is not visible to the naked eye, which necessitates diagnosis based on foliar symptoms.

European red mite

The European red mite ( Panonychus ulmi ) feeds by repeatedly piercing the foliage, giving the vine a dull, brownish-green appearance and preventing the production of webbing. As the infestation increases, the vine’s physiological efficiency declines: photosynthesis decreases, water is lost more rapidly, leaves fall prematurely, and ripening can be compromised, even affecting the future alcohol content. This pest overwinters as eggs on the wood and then resumes feeding as soon as temperatures rise in the spring. With several generations possible during the season, the infestation can become persistent.

Hornbeam mite

The yellow spider mite or Hornbeam mite ( Eotetranychus carpini ) damages grapevines at two key times: budbreak and summer. Early in the growing season, it can dry out young shoots and cause fruit drop on inflorescences. Later, it manifests as webbing, yellow to red discoloration, mosaic foliage, and then necrotic patches, giving the vine a prematurely autumnal appearance. Poor lignification and early leaf fall then affect the sugar levels of the grapes. This pest is mainly observed in the southern half of the country, with numerous generations possible depending on the temperature.

Fanleaf virus nematode

This nematode lives in the soil and acts discreetly, but its consequences can be severe for years. While it does have a direct impact on the roots, the major problem lies in the transmission of fanleaf virus. Affected vines then exhibit shortened internodes, deformed leaves, reduced vigor, and a persistent decline in production. The plot can remain contaminated for a long time, even after replanting, because this organism survives for several years in the soil. Clay soils are generally more favorable to it than sandy soils.

Grapevine mealybugs

Their effects often converge towards a progressive weakening of the vine. By drawing sap from the green parts of the plant, they deplete the vine over several growing seasons. Their honeydew then promotes sooty mold, which soils leaves and bunches and can harm the quality of the harvest. Some species also play a role in the spread of leafroll viruses, which completely changes the scope of the problem. Their presence varies according to the region, climate, and species involved: shelled or flaky forms in several northern vineyards, and more pronounced mealy forms in warmer areas.

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