Winter won’t stop drosophila fight
Bug expertswill continue working in earnest to learnmore about howto contain destructive insect’s rapid spread.
By Judie Steeves M
eetings, monitoring and planning for next year’s assault will be occupying entomologists and researchers this winter as they try and come up with the best way to deal with the Spotted Wing Drosophila.
SWD is a vinegar fly that infests ripe, soft-skinned fruit such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, rendering it unfit for market.
It is native to Asia and was first discovered in the Pacific Northwest in 2008. By the next year it had grown so rapidly whole crops had to be abandoned and this year it was discovered infesting crops in both the Fraser and Okanagan valleys. Provincial agriculture ministry entomologist Tracy Huppelscheuser in Abbotsford says not much is known about the overwintering habits of the tiny fly but trapping will continue through the fall to try and identify where they are.
Despite the fact SWD abounds in wild blackberries, she said it’s very important that farmers clean up fruit because all of it that is left becomes a breeding ground where populations of the devastating insect can increase. Up to five generations a year are possible in B.C., so numbers can increase rapidly. Eggs hatch in 12 to 72 hours, depending on air temperature, and the female can lay 20 to 30 eggs a day.
Because drosophila is so prolific, Huppelscheuser wonders whether mass trapping could ever trap them out, although she thinks it is a good idea to reduce numbers.
As far as trap colours are concerned, she says it appears they prefer red and black to yellow or white.
Numbers of SWD spiked near the 10 British Columbia Berry Grower • Winter 2010-11
end of summer, she said.
Discussions amongst everyone involved over the winter will likely result in a refinement of the monitoring program for next season, but she admits frankly, “We don’t have lots of answers.” As yet, they haven’t even been through a complete year with SWD, so it is hard to answer many of the questions about management of the new pest.
One thing does appear to be sure: “This bug is here to stay,” she says.
Growers are advised to keep watching the website and talk to their associations, councils and suppliers to stay up to date about SWD. For the latest
JUDIE STEEVES
“This bug is here to stay,” according to provincial entomologist Tracy Huppelscheuser.
information, go to this website:
www.al.gov./
bc.ca/cropprot/ swd.htm
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