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First catch in Wyoming County

One female SWD was caught in a trap set in a blueberry planting in Wyoming County. The traps were checked on June 25, 2020. The crop is developing nicely. It is essential to keep close watch on the stage of ripeness, to know when fruit becomes susceptible to egg-laying — at pink to purple color. These traps are being monitored by Don Gasiewicz, Wyoming County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Picture of strawberry fruit with an egg-laying site.
Evidence of oviposition into June strawberry found today, 20 June 2019, by Jim O'Connell, CCE Assoc of Ulster County. Notice the delicate white breathing tubes and the small area of sunken, tan tissue where the larva is inside the fruit.

This blueberry planting is immediately adjacent to a large strawberry planting. We know from prior years and reports from other states that when June strawberry harvests are done, the number of SWD caught in traps often spikes. Whether this is coincidence or related to something specific with June strawberries serving as a resource for SWD, we aren’t quite sure. But, suffice it to say, that if you have June strawberries and are also growing blueberries or raspberries or cherries nearby, renovate the June strawberry fields ASAP. Please review methods for doing this effectively on the post by Laura McDermott, Renovate June Strawberry Fields Promptly, https://blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2018/06/27/renovate-strawberry-plantings-promptly/

SWD Resources

SWD Management, http://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/management/ on Cornell Fruit Resources.

Insecticide Quick Guides for NY State are found here (refresh the page to see the latest version):

SWD Management in Blueberry

SWD Management in Raspberry and Blackberry

Check out the information on Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila, fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/.

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