8.13.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

Trap captures of spotted wing drosophila continue to occur throughout the state BUT appear to have jumped up a bit. There are still some fields that have not had trap captures and many have had just the one or two SWD. However, late last week in southern Maine, trap captures jumped quickly with one small fruit field in Bowdoinham having over 200 SWD in a trap! Yesterday in Jonesboro we were finding 2-15 flies/trap in fields that a week ago just had either no captures or one SWD in a trap. Therefore, this is evidence that SWD is beginning to multiply in blueberries. The infestation must be still very low. We took fruit samples yesterday in the fields that had increasing SWD trap captures and we still did not detect larvae in the fruit and so the infestation is most likely spotty in the fields and at very low levels. However, from last year it became apparent that SWD can build up very rapidly.

Please continue to monitor and protect your fruit if necessary from this pest. Also, it looks as if the early harvesting that has been taking place all over the state will certainly pay dividends this year if we can get much of the crop in before significant damage starts to be detected.

NOTE: SWD updates will only be made when we have trap captures.  Please refer any questions, comments or concerns to Frank Drummond, 1.800.897.0757 (Maine only) or 581.2989, fdrummond@maine.edu or to Dave Yarborough, 1.800.897.0757 or 581.2923, davidy@maine.edu.