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Seven females and three males were caught in an apple cider vinegar trap at a farm in Rensselaer county this week. Traps were collected on July 13, 2015 and are with the lure comparison research that Greg Loeb, Department of Entomology, Cornell University is leading. Traps are being serviced by Laura McDermott, Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program. The traps were in set in an Amelanchier hedgerow near strawberries.  Amelanchier species are commonly known as shadbush, shadwood or shadblow, serviceberry, sarvisberry or sarvis, juneberry, saskatoon, wild pear, sugarplum or wild-plum, and chuckley pear. In nature, this genus hybridizes readily and species distinctions can be difficult.

Three males and one female SWD were caught in a trap today, set in a hedgerow near a blueberry planting in Tioga County. This trap is being monitored by the blueberry grower.

The suggestion I give growers is to check traps frequently, if they plan to set traps to monitor.  Frequently would be about every day. This way, not a lot of fruit flies and other insects get caught in the traps and it is easier to sort through the insect to check for SWD.

The treatment threshold is first trap catch and ripe fruit present in the planting. Keep this in mind and plan accordingly for an effective spray program that will protect your fruit for your markets.

Two spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) females were caught in a trap checked on July 10, 2015 from a raspberry field in Suffolk County, Long Island, as reported by Faruque Zaman, Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The trap was placed on the edge of the field. The other trap (inside the field) in that planting did not catch any SWD. However, in the same location, 2% of 50 ripe raspberries collected the same day had evidence of egg laying by SWD.

An egg is nestled under the skin of this raspberry, as shown by the white breathing tube (yellow arrow) on the fruit's surface. The image is highly magnified to see the tiny structure.
An egg is nestled under the skin of this raspberry, as shown by the white breathing tube (yellow arrow) on the fruit's surface. The image is highly magnified to see the tiny structure.

To date, no SWD were found in traps placed in blueberries, blackberries, and grapes. All traps were baited with whole-wheat dough and apple cider vinegar was used as drowning solution. Weather information: GDD= 1025, day length= 14:52, average temperature (7/4 – 7/10)= 69.4F, total rain fall (7/4 – 7/10) = 0.19 inch.

Two spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) females that were caught late last week in Suffolk County. Note the brown, sclerotized ovipositors that can slice through fruit to lay eggs inside.
Two spotted wing Drosophila (SWD) females that were caught late last week in Suffolk County. Note the brown, sclerotized ovipositors that can slice through fruit to lay eggs inside.

Five male SWD were caught in a trap in Erie County set on the edge of a summer raspberry planting. This trap is being monitored by Sharon Bachman, Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension, with help from the summer staff from the WNY Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management. (GDD = 1150, day length = 15:04)

Distribution map for SWD trap catch, as of July 13, 2015. More reports are coming in, so keep tabs on the map and blog!
Distribution map for SWD trap catch, as of July 13, 2015. More reports are coming in, so keep tabs on the map and blog!

Two female SWD were caught in traps collected on July 9, 2015 in Seneca County. One SWD in a trap for the network (whole wheat dough lure with apple cider vinegar drowning solution) and one caught in a Scentry trap. Traps were on the edge of a blueberry planting.  (GDD = 1195, day length = 15:04)

Two female SWD were caught in traps on the edge of a summer raspberry planting. One each were caught in a Scentry trap and a standard Trece trap as part of a research project comparing traps and lures. Both traps use unscented soapy water for the drowning solution. Traps were collected on July 7, 2015 by Gabe Brind'Amour in Greg Loeb's entomology program at Cornell University.

A single female SWD was caught in a whole wheat dough with apple cider vinegar trap (SWD network) and another single female was caught in a Scentry trap with combination lure (research project). These traps are both on the edge of a blueberry planting in Ontario County. Traps were collected on 7/7/15 by Gabe Brind'Amour in Greg Loeb's Small Fruit Entomology Program, NYS Ag Experiment Station, Cornell University.

A single female SWD was caught in a trap collected on July 8, 2015 from within a summer raspberry planting in Genesee County. Master Gardener David Russell and Extension Educator Janice Beglinger of Genesee County Cornell Cooperative Extension are monitoring the traps at this location. Photos of the female ovipositor were sent in to verify their SWD identification. (GDD = 1038, day length = 15:08)

Belly-side-up (ventral) view of the SWD ovipositor, a key characteristic for identification.
Belly-side-up (ventral) view of the SWD ovipositor, a key characteristic for identification.
SWD has a sclerotized ovipositor used to slice into fruit and lay eggs.
SWD has a sclerotized ovipositor used to slice into fruit and lay eggs.

Three SWD, two females and one male, were caught in traps set in a summer raspberry planting in Schuyler County that were checked on July 2, 2015. This site is part of the trap network, being monitored by Gabrielle (Gabe) Brind'Amour, technician in Greg Loeb's small fruit entomology program, Cornell University. At this location, they also have other traps set out for research purposes, and SWD was also caught in several of those traps. It is time to put an SWD management plan into place, if you have susceptible, ripe fruit at your farm.

Male SWD on raspberry fruit. Note dimpling on the fruitlet in the upper left corner of the photo - indicative of fruit infestation.
Male SWD on raspberry fruit. Note dimpling on the fruitlet in the upper left corner of the photo - indicative of fruit infestation.

A male spotted wing drosophila (SWD) on blueberry; another likely SWD is in the background.
A male spotted wing drosophila (SWD) on blueberry; another likely SWD is in the background.

One male SWD was caught in a trap collected on July 2, 2015 in Cayuga County. The trap was set on the edge of a blueberry planting adjacent to woods by Juliet Carroll, Fruit IPM Program, and is being serviced by summer technician Tyler Sollenne. The blueberry planting is located in the northern part of Cayuga County. Three other traps at the site contained no SWD.

Because of the early arrival of SWD, blueberries should be protected from infestation by careful planning of an insecticide program as fruit begin to ripen. Other steps to manage SWD include removal from the planting of overripe fruit in which SWD larvae could be developing, mowing and weed control to reduce humidity and shading in the planting—conditions favorable for SWD. (GDD = 999, day length = 15:15)

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