Insect Updates

8.20.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

This summer appears to be a bit different than last year, the first year that we experienced SWD. It does appear that SWD is starting to build, evidence being multiple captures of two to seven flies/trap with a few males being captured. However, the buildup appears to be slow and there are still several fields […]

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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 […]

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8.4.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

As of last week, trap captures of spotted wing drosophila continue to occur throughout the state. There have only been a few fields at this point where multiple flies are being caught. Most fields either have had NO trap captures yet OR just one or two SWD. We have identified SWD larvae in fresh fruit […]

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7.30.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

Trap captures of spotted wing drosophila continue to occur throughout the state. All blueberry growing regions have reports of SWD males and many fields have experienced multiple captures, indicating that reproduction is occurring and fruit infestation is taking place. But, let me be clear NOT ALL fields have captured SWD yet. On the other hand, […]

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7.25.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

More SWD has been captured in the Downeast growing area on the blueberry barrens. Male SWD was caught and confirmed in a few locations. At the University of Maine, Blueberry Hill Farm SWD have been caught in more locations throughout the fields there. So far our fruit sampling (several fields sampled yesterday) has not revealed […]

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7.22.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

More SWD has been captured in the coastal growing area. Nine flies were captured this past week in a Warren field and continued single SWD detections have been found in Union and Lincolnville. However, despite the number of fields where this pest has been captured in traps there are still several fields in this area […]

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7.08.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)

It is no wonder with this HOT weather over the fourth and following weekend a few more SWD captures have surfaced since my update on July 2.  However, last week’s capture of a male SWD in Cherryfield was a misdiagnosis. When we looked at it, two spots were found on each wing and so we […]

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7.03.13 Spotted Wing Drosophila

Dave Yarborough and Frank Drummond will be sending out SWD updates one to two times a week over the growing season. Frank and Judy Collins will be monitoring 18 field sites from Stockton Springs up to Jonesboro. Dr. Jim Dill and Dr. Dave Handley (UMaine Cooperative Extension) are monitoring traps in mid-coast to southern Maine […]

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Wild Bee Pollinators: The Genus Andrena

By Sara Bushmann In May and June of 2010 and 2011, I collected wild bees from 24 blueberry fields in Hancock County in the towns of Orland, Penobscot, Sedgwick and Blue Hill. By “wild” bees I mean any bee that is not a honeybee or a commercial bumblebee. Most of the wild bees are native, […]

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Bumblebee Disease and Diversity

By Sara Bushmann, University of Maine Welcome to the Pollinator Posts! On these web pages, I’ll provide updates on some of the pollinator research projects being conducted in (mostly) Hancock and Washington Counties. Look for two more posts this year on or around October 15 and November 15, and then again in April and May […]

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