SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: OCTOBER 9, 2020
SPOTTED WING DROSOPHILA UPDATE: OCTOBER 9, 2020
David Handley, Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist; James Dill, Pest Management Specialist; Christina Howard, Produce Safety Professional
As we finish out the fall berry season, spotted wing drosophila (SWD) fruit fly counts were mostly higher this week, including a season record of over 8,000 flies in one southern trap. Most farms have now ended their berry harvests, although there are still fall raspberries and strawberries available at some locations. We intend to pull out our traps from all the monitoring sites next week. So, the next issue of this Alert will be the last for the season. For those farms still harvesting fruit, populations remain high enough to cause significant infestation of any remaining berries. A five to seven-day spray interval is recommended for any remaining fruit to prevent infestation of larvae.
In addition to insecticide applications, best management practices include
- Keep fields free of waste fruit to reduce their attractiveness to flies.
- Sort fruit before putting it in storage to remove any soft berries.
- Chill all harvested fruit to 34 degrees Fahrenheit immediately after harvesting to halt development of any eggs or larvae.
- Rotate pesticide products used regularly to prevent the possible development of resistance. Current information on registered pesticides for managing SWD is available in the New England Small Fruit Management Guide. The online version is free and can be viewed here
For more information on identifying spotted wing drosophila (SWD) and updates on populations around the state, visit our SWD blog
Other IPM Web Pages
Michigan State University
David T. Handley
Vegetable and Small Fruit Specialist
Highmoor Farm Pest Management Unit
P.O. Box 179 17 Godfrey Drive
Monmouth, ME 04259 Orono, ME 04473
207.933.2100 1.800.287.0279
Where brand names or company names are used, it is for the reader’s information. No endorsement is implied nor is any discrimination intended against other products with similar ingredients. Always consult product labels for rates, application instructions and safety precautions. Users of these products assume all associated risks.
The University of Maine is an equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.
| Town | Spotted Wing Drosophila weekly trap catch 9/25/20 | Spotted Wing Drosophila weekly trap catch 10/2/20 | Spotted Wing Drosophila weekly trap catch 10/9/20 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wells | 73 | 69 | 42 |
| Limington | 907 | 1808 | 8296 |
| Limerick | 51 | 40 | 147 |
| Bowdoinham | 1520 | 356 | 1032 |
| Mechanic Falls | 45 | 87 | 1144 |
| Monmouth | 416 | 253 | 490 |
| Wayne | 5548 | 262 | 1360 |