What's up with my Gooseberry bush?

It's never been a partiularly high yielding little thing so I haven't been particularly bothered that yet again it has few fruit on it. Like most things I had just put it down to all the wet cold weather we're graced with on our beautiful little island, however today I've had a closer look and most of the leaves have been stripped off. leaving very few fruit on spindley sticks.

Any thoughts on what pest does this?

Could be gooseberry saw fly caterpillar-they can strip a plant bare overnight

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Thanks geoff. I've just been out and checked it again and it doesn't appear to have any pests on it or lavae, do the caterpillar's hide or are they nocturnal?

This has happened really quickly so I think it must be them, just can't see where they are. Could it be that the bush has been stripped and then they've departed?

It could be if they have had there fill-have you had this before or is this the first time-they are sneaky things and do hide but you should see them in action.

If there are no leaves then you are stuck-they may have disappeared into the soil

This is the first time the leaves have been stripped, leaving only about two right at the end of one of the branches.

Think I'll just have to keep an eye on it and pick off any that I see. I've just got an allotment and it's something that will be moving from the garden there. I guess a soil change and potting it up in to something else first might be a good idea first. But do you know if the plant can still be productive next year or has it had it?

It should come back next year-hopefully it will be a better, sunny,sooooo hot year and people will complain about the heat,farmers will say it is too dry instead of too wet and you will be overrun with goosgogs/

Fingers crossed!

Thanks for taking the time to reply, it's much appreciated.