Dr. Faruque Zaman, entomologist with Suffolk County Cornell Cooperative Extension, reports that on June 8, 2016 two female and two male SWD were captured in two separate Scentry-lure baited traps at blueberry and blackberry locations in eastern Long Island. This is about a month earlier than last year’s first interception in Suffolk County. However, after checking 200 young blueberries (collected on June 13, see picture of the fruit stage) no sign of SWD egg laying or damage was found. There were no fruit in the blackberry planting.
These particular blueberry and blackberry sites have surrounding woods and both traps that captured the SWD were placed on the border rows near the woods. No SWD have been captured in traps placed in other locations in Suffolk County (raspberry, grape). At this time the SWD population appears to be very low.
