7.21.14 SWD Detected in Parts of Southern and Downeast Maine
The spotted wing drosophila is starting to be detected in both southern and parts of Downeast Maine. David Handley, who has been sampling highbush blueberry and raspberry fields have reported trap captures of spotted wing drosophila in Cape Elizabeth, Buxton, Turner, and Wales. In wild blueberry fields, MALE SWD has been captured in Blue Hill and Sedgwick. It is typical in the early season (from what we have observed in the first two years) that initial trap captures are quite spotty. Our recommendation is that if your crop is vulnerable (containing ripe fruit) and if you have NOT put traps out yet…you should put out traps as SOON as possible. Inspect the traps two times per week for males (spots on wings..see the wild blueberry factsheet on SWD Biology). IF a male is captured then it is time to protect the crop with an insecticide (see wild blueberry factsheet on insecticides suitable for SWD).
It is doubtful that any fruit has been attacked by SWD yet. We will be sampling the fruit in fields this week where SWD has been captured and let you know what we find.