Skip to content

Category: 2014 trap network

1

Published on 1 Comment on Monitoring network wrap-up

The SWD Monitoring Network was once again a success! A big "THANK YOU!" goes out to the 18 Cornell Cooperative Extension and Cornell University scientists who made the network possible in 28 Counties in NY. Funding for the network was provided in 2014 by the NY State Berry Growers Association, the Department of Entomology, Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Programs, Cornell Cooperative Extension County Associations and the NYS IPM Program.

All but four of the 107 SWD trapping sites in the SWD Monitoring Network caught SWD this year. Those four, in Herkimer and Saratoga Counties, were pulled once the crop was harvested or infestation was found in fruit. We continue to conduct extension at the same time as the research is being done in an attempt to stay ahead of spotted wing!

SWD was first trapped in NY about four weeks later than in 2012 and 2013. Continuous or sustained captures also occurred four weeks later than in prior years. The delayed arrival of SWD into NY spared June strawberries, cherries, summer raspberries and most blueberry varieties from infestations. However, later maturing berries such as fall raspberry, blackberry, day-neutral strawberry and possibly grapes currently are at risk.

Spotted wing first reports were posted on the SWD blog. Cornell scientists alerted growers directly and via newsletters to protect their crops when SWD was found in their area. The NY trap network seems again to have proven successful in accomplishing its primary goal of monitoring for first trap catch of SWD and disseminating information to growers. For next year, we are discussing the possibility of using a commercially available lure in the traps to simplify trapping, doing fruit monitoring, and timing trap placement to coincide with a typical crop phenology such as the end of June strawberry harvest.

First trap catch distribution for spotted wing Drosophila in the 2014 NY Monitoring Network
First trap catch distribution and timing for spotted wing Drosophila in the 2014 NY Monitoring Network

2

Published on 2 Comments on First find – Columbia, Tompkins, Livingston & Orange Counties

SWD has arrived in New York and populations are building up. It is imperative to protect your late summer berry crops. Unfortunately, four county reports were skipped from the blog. First catch of SWD has occurred in Columbia, Tompkins, Livingston and Orange Counties.

Columbia County - first find   One male SWD was caught in Columbia County the week ending July 28, 2014 in traps set in sweet cherry by Dan Donahue, Eastern NY Horticulture Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension. No subsequent trap catch was observed at this site; traps were pulled because the crop was harvested. At another site in raspberry in Columbia County, being monitored by Cara Fraver and Laura McDermott, E NY Horticulture Program, a first find SWD female was caught the week ending August 11, 2014, also with no subsequent catch the following week. (GDD = 1698, day length = 14:31)

Tompkins County - first find   Three female SWD were caught in Tompkins County the week ending August 13, 2014 in traps set in blackberry by Jacob Robinson and Juliet Carroll, NYS IPM Program. The following week, August 19, 2014, 7 females and 1 male were caught at this site. (GDD = 1722, day length = 13:56)

Livingston County - first find   Five female SWD were caught in Livingston County the week ending August 18, 2014 in traps set in fall raspberry by Dave Thorp, Livingston County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The following week (August 25) no SWD were caught, BUT 17 SWD were caught the week ending September 2. (GDD = 1978, day length = 13:44)

Orange County - first find   Four female SWD were caught in Orange County the week ending August 19, 2014 in traps set in raspberry by Tim Lampasona and Peter Jentsch, Dept of Entomology, Hudson Valley Laboratory. No subsequent trap catch has been reported for this site. (GDD = 1975, day length = 13:36)

Check out the distribution map of SWD first catch in NY, woven into the NYS IPM SWD fact sheet.

 

Published on Leave a comment on Clinton County – first find

Seven SWD, 2 males and 5 females, were caught in traps the week ending September 2, 2014 in Clinton County. The traps were set in blueberries and monitored by Lindsey Pashow and Amy Ivy, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County. Fruit samples checked with a salt water floatation test about 10 days prior were negative for SWD larvae. (GDD = 2030, day length = 13:08)

Female spotted wing drosophila (SWD) on left and male SWD on right. Note the large ovipositor on the female and the spot on each wing of the male.
Female spotted wing drosophila (SWD) on left and male SWD on right. Note the large ovipositor on the female and the spot on each wing of the male.

1

Published on 1 Comment on St. Lawrence County – first find

A single female SWD was caught in a trap collected on August 25, 2014 by Paul Hetzler, St. Lawrence County Cornell Cooperative Extension. The trap was set in a berry field. (GDD = 1749, day length 13:31)

To date, most trapping sites in NY have caught SWD, reached sustained trap captures, and populations are climbing. Exceptions to this are three sites in Herkimer County, one site in Saratoga County, and one site in Clinton County, where SWD has not been caught. The tricky aspect of monitoring is that we think that once there is ample ripe fruit in the field and on the ground, the traps may not be as attractive to SWD, though research hasn't verified this.

Traps in the sites I am monitoring in Central NY, the Finger Lakes, and eastern Lake Ontario regions are being pulled this week. The combined total number of SWD caught in the four traps per site at those locations is still low (less than 20) in most sites. However, we are seeing evidence of oviposition and infestation of fruit. SWD populations will continue to increase into the fall and early winter months placing late-season fruit crops at high risk of infestation.

If you are growing blackberries, fall raspberries, elderberries, day neutral strawberries, or late-season blueberries, an insecticide program should be initiated to protect fruit from infestation. The good news is that many of NY's fruit crops escaped infestation this year because SWD arrived 2-4 weeks later than in 2013.

Published on Leave a comment on Wyoming County – first find

Four male SWD were caught the week ending August 14, 2014 in traps being monitored in red raspberry by Donald Gasiewicz, Wyoming County Cornell Cooperative Extension. One SWD was caught in a trap set on the edge of the planting; the other three were caught in one trap within the planting. Male SWD are quite distinctive, having a spot on each wing.

SWD male
SWD male, note spot on each wing.

Published on Leave a comment on Washington County – first find

One male and one female SWD were caught the week ending August 8, 2014 in traps being monitored in blueberry by Cara Fraver and Laura McDermott, Eastern NY Horticulture Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension. The SWD were both caught in a trap set on the edge of the blueberry planting; the other three traps at the site had no SWD.

The SWD monitoring network anticipates an upswing in SWD numbers in the coming weeks. Please plan to protect your late summer berry crops from infestation. As fruit becomes ripe and there is lots of it, traps may compete poorly with fruit for SWD.

Published on Leave a comment on Chemung County – first find

One female SWD was caught the week ending August 6, 2014 in traps being monitored in blueberry by Jabe Warren, Chemung County Cornell Cooperative Extension. Most trap network locations now have first catch of SWD, though numbers are low. Counties where SWD has not been caught in the network, to date, include Clinton, Herkimer, Livingston, St. Lawrence, Saratoga, Steuben, Tompkins, and Wyoming. Reports of fruit damage are also low to none, less than 15% of fruit with egg laying. (GDD = 1511, day length = 14:10)

Published on Leave a comment on Tioga County – first find

Two SWD, one female and one male, were caught in two traps on August 6, 2014 in Tioga County. Traps are set in a blueberry planting and are being checked daily by the farmer who called in his findings to Juliet Carroll, NYS IPM Program. The four SWD traps are filtered daily to remove the caught fruit flies and the flies are checked microscopically. On a weekly basis, the apple cider vinegar drowning solution and the bait lures are replaced.

The farmer reports a lot more fruit flies being caught in the traps now. The number of SWD is still low (0.5/trap). Because the farm's blueberry harvest will wind down early next week, this farmer will likely choose not to apply insecticide against SWD this year and will proactively explain to customers about SWD using the IPM invasives & exotics fact sheet.

Published on Leave a comment on Chautauqua County – first find

Two female SWD were caught the week ending July 30, 2014 in traps being monitored by Betsy Burgeson, Chautauqua County Cornell Cooperative Extension, in blueberry and raspberry. The females were caught in separate traps, one in the blueberry planting and one in the raspberry planting on the same farm. (GDD = 1230, day length = 14:26)

Detail of the spotted wing Drosophila female's abdomen showing the extended ovipositor and the dark, saw-toothed edge used to cut into fruit to lay her eggs inside.
Detail of the spotted wing Drosophila female's abdomen showing the extended ovipositor and the dark, saw-toothed edge used to cut into fruit to lay her eggs inside.

Published on Leave a comment on Orleans County – first find

Three SWD were caught in traps set in two berry farms in Orleans County in the weeks ending July 22 and 25, 2014. Two females, one at each location, and one male were found in a total of six traps. The traps are being monitored by Elizabeth Tee working with Debbie Breth in the Lake Ontario Fruit Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension, and are in raspberry and blueberry. (GDD 1313; day length 14:49 and GDD 1364; day length 14:43)

Skip to toolbar