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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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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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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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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Now is the time to look for Valdensinia leaf spot in your fields. The wet weather conditions we have had over the last month will have caused many cycles of spore production and infection if you have this fungus in your field. I have seen a new field with Valdensinia leaf spot in Ellsworth. Areas […]
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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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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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You will want to minimize any exposure of honey bees, bumble bees and native pollinators to pesticides, including fungicides, during bloom. Bumble bees and native pollinators will still be working pollinating your fields when poor conditions keep the honey bees in their hives. The fungicides recommended for control of Botrytis blossom blight are considered non-toxic […]
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For three springs I’ve collected bees from blooming blueberry fields and, with the help of experts, given them a species name. I have not collected bumblebees since I did not want to take away bumblebee queens while they foraged in the fields! So my collection includes all bees except bumblebees and honeybees. In general, I’ve […]
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I think the mummy berry infection season is over for this year. Cups in most areas would have dried up over the last few days, so there won’t be any spores to infect the plants. I don’t think this current wet weather will be causing any infection periods for the mummy berry fungus. You […]
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