In two blueberry plantings, one in Monroe County and one in Rensselaer County, SWD was caught during the week ending on July 6, 2021. In Monroe County, one male and two females were found in traps monitored by Janet van Zoeren, Lake Ontario Fruit Program, CCE. In Rensselaer County, four females were found in traps monitored by Laura McDermott, Eastern NY Commercial Horticulture Program, CCE.
Blueberry harvests are starting up across New York. The crop looks beautiful, berry size is great, and color is outstanding. Plan to protect this crop, which has ripened earlier this year than anyone can recall. Thankfully, SWD has arrived a bit later than in prior years and — in some locations — has built up slower than we've seen in prior years. Still, plan to protect the crop with excellent management tactics, as described on the SWD Management pages, fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/management/.