Category: 2020 trap network

Sustained catch at the final three sites in the SWD monitoring network: two in Orleans County and one in Wayne County. In raspberries in Orleans County, 8 SWD were caught in 2 traps (3 males and 5 females). In blueberries in Orleans and Wayne Counties 4 (3 males and 1 female) were caught in 2 traps and 5 (2 males and 3 females) in 4 traps, respectively. Growers of the berries on these farms have had an active insecticide program in place for SWD. Insecticide treatments had kept numbers low to non-existent on these farms until now.

SWD populations are building up across New York. In some plantings we are monitoring for research, with minimal to no insecticide program, average catch has been over 5 SWD per trap this week in 12 traps — that's 50 to 100 SWD total.

Low levels of fruit infestation have been detected via salt flotation. You can check your fruit routinely with this technique, which may prove very useful in U-pick operations so you can inform your clientele. Guidelines for Checking Fruit for SWD Larvae in the Field.

For those who are opening your U-pick operations slowly and steadily during the COVID-19 pandemic, here's a resource developed just for you:

• Best Management Practices for U-Pick Farms During the COVID-19 Pandemic smallfarms.cornell.edu/resources/farm-resilience/best-management-practices-for-u-pick-farms-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

For those who want information on SWD to give to clientele:

• Spotted Wing Drosophila Invasive Species and Exotic Pests fact sheet - download it from Cornell eCommons here hdl.handle.net/1813/42883.3
• Spotted Wing Drosophila: An invasive and destructive pest on raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and more Tri-fold brochure - download it from Cornell eCommons here hdl.handle.net/1813/44644

Effective management of SWD will become more challenging as the summer continues. Keep in mind the key tactics:

1. Excellent sanitation to reduce SWD populations: clean harvests and get cull fruit out of the planting.
2. Canopy and water management to make the environment less favorable: air circulation to keep things drier.
3. Insecticide sprays will kill SWD adults and thereby reduce egg laying: choose materials with excellent efficacy
   • Berry insecticide quick guide
   • Stone fruit and grape insecticide quick guide
4. Regular fruit sampling: see if SWD larvae are in your fruit and at what level.
5. Cool harvested fruit immediately: Below 37°F cold storage or in-store coolers will slow, stop, or kill development of SWD larvae and eggs.

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

Funding for the SWD Monitoring Network provided by:

• NYS Berry Growers Association
• NYS IPM Program
• USDA NIFA Crop Protection and Pest Management Program

One female SWD was caught in a trap set in a blueberry planting in Monroe County. The traps were checked on July 21, 2020. Fruit is ripe and U-pick is open. These traps are being monitored by Janet van Zoeren, Lake Ontario Fruit Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension. This marks the last county in the SWD monitoring network to reach first catch.

The grower at this location has had an active SWD management program, including insecticide protection. The low trap catch numbers at this location likely are associated with an insecticide program being in place in the planting. As the season progresses, SWD will become more numerous and the risk of fruit infestation will become greater. Consider everything you can do to thwart this insect that either will enhance the efficacy of the insecticide management program or will lower the risk of fruit infestation.

Pest Management for SWD includes:

• Mowing – to reduce humidity and habitat for SWD and to increase sun penetration.
• Weed management – to reduce humidity, alternate fruiting hosts and habitat and to increase sun penetration.
• Pruning – to reduce humidity and to increase sun and spray penetration.
• Monitoring – to know if SWD is present and at what level.
• Sanitation – to reduce reproduction harborage and overall SWD population.
• Cold storage – below 37° F, to slow or kill any eggs and larvae in harvested fruit.

Learn more: SWD Management, 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):

• For berry crops www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/berry-insecticides.pdf
• For stone fruit and grapes www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/treefruit-grape-insecticides.pdf

For berries -

SWD Management in Blueberry

• Read this blog, Managing SWD in blueberries at blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2019/08/02/managing-swd-in-blueberries/.
• Spotted Wing Drosophila IPM in Blueberries from the NE IPM Center SWD Working Group, neipmc.org/go/swdpub2

SWD Management in Raspberry and Blackberry

• Read this blog, Managing SWD in raspberries and blackberries at blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2019/07/17/managing-swd-in-raspberries-blackberries/
• Spotted Wing Drosophila IPM in Raspberries and Blackberries from the NE IPM Center SWD Working Group, neipmc.org/go/swdpub1

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

Sustained catch, was obtained in seven counties in NY between June 29 and July 14; numbers hit a high of 57 at one location. Read about the five key tactics that contribute to an aggressive SWD management program below. It may be imperative to begin a spray program to protect ripe fruit. SWD build-up has coincided with harvest season and has translated into a challenging year for SWD management. Harvest is underway in raspberries, blueberries, cherries and winding down in June strawberries. 

Sustained catch on June 29

• Chemung County – 2 males and 3 females in two traps in a blueberry planting.
• Livingston County – 1 female in two traps in a blueberry planting.
• Tioga County – 1 male and 2 females in four traps in a blueberry planting.

Sustained catch on July 2

• Wyoming County – 1 male and 11 females in 6 traps set in two raspberry plantings.

Sustained catch on July 7

• Herkimer County – 1 female in four traps in a blueberry planting, down from the prior week, possibly due to the hot and dry weather.
• Steuben County – 5 males in two traps in a blueberry planting.

Sustained catch on July 14

• Onondaga County – 34 males and 23 females in four traps in a blueberry planting.

If adult SWD are present on your farm, which they probably are by now, manage them aggressively now that harvests are underway.

Aggressive management entails 5 key tactics:

1.  Excellent sanitation will reduce SWD populations.

Fruit should be harvested frequently and completely to prevent the buildup of ripe and over-ripe fruit. Unmarketable fruit should be removed from the field and either frozen, “baked” in clear plastic bags placed in the sun, or disposed of in bags off-site. This will kill larvae, remove them from your crop, and prevent them from emerging as adults.

2. Canopy and water management will make the environment less favorable.

Prune to maintain an open canopy, increase sunlight and reduce humidity. This will make plantings less attractive to SWD and will improve spray coverage. Repair leaking drip lines and avoid overhead irrigation when possible. Allow the ground and mulch surface to dry before irrigating.

3. Insecticide sprays will kill SWD adults and thereby reduce egg laying:

Insecticide treatments should begin when either regional monitoring alerts about the first SWD trap catch or when highly susceptible fruit crops begin to ripen. Treatments should be applied at least every seven days and repeated in the event of rain. Choose the most effective insecticides with pre harvest intervals that work for your picking schedule. Rotate insecticides according to their modes of action.

Quick reference guides:

• SWD insecticides for berries (www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/berry-insecticides.pdf)
• SWD insecticides for stone fruits and grapes (www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/treefruit-grape-insecticides.pdf)
• SWD insecticides for treating dropped fruit (www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/drop-cull-insecticides.pdf)

Check the Cornell Guidelines (cropandpestguides.cce.cornell.edu/) for the latest list of approved pesticides. Special needs labels are being sought for NY berries. Always read and follow the pesticide label instructions.

4. Regular fruit sampling:

At least 100 fruit per block per harvest should be observed for infestation. Talk to your local CCE agent about a monitoring program. Fruit can be inspected for evidence of larval feeding. Small holes in berries where the eggs were laid may leak juice when the berry is gently squeezed; this is especially diagnostic on blueberry. Infested red raspberry fruit may leave a red juice stain on the berry receptacle when the fruit is picked. Fruit with small indents or bruises where the berry surface appears to have flattened or deflated may be damaged.

A salt flotation method, immersing fruit in a solution of 1 Tbsp. (14.8 cc) table salt per 1 cup (236.6 ml) water, may cause larvae to float to surface. At least 100 fruit per block per harvest should be observed for infestation. Suggested methods were adapted for NY growers in Guidelines for Checking Fruit for SWD Larvae in the Field (cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/0/7265/files/2017/01/SaltFloatation-2kmt284.pdf).

5. Cool berries immediately:

Chilling berries immediately after harvest to 32° – 33° F will stop the development of larvae and eggs in the fruit, and may kill them. U-Pick customers should be encouraged to refrigerate fruit immediately to maintain fruit quality at home. Below 37° F SWD stops developing in fruit.

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

Thanks go out to:

• Liz Alexander, Chemung County CCE, who is monitoring the site in Chemung County
• Dave Thorp, Livingston County CCE, who is monitoring the site in Livingston County
• Barb Neal, Tioga County CCE, who is monitoring the site in Tioga County
• Don Gasiewicz, Wyoming County CCE, who is monitoring sites in Wyoming County
• Andy Wereszczack, blueberry grower, and Juliet Carroll, NYSIPM CCE, who are monitoring the site in Herkimer County.
• Ariel Kirk, Steuben County CCE, who is monitoring the site in Steuben County
• Grace Marshall, NYSIPM CCE, who is monitoring the site in Onondaga County

In a blueberry planting in Steuben County, we now have first catch. A single male was found in a trap set on the edge of the planting that was checked on July 1, 2020 by Ariel Kirk, Agriculture Educator, Steuben County Cornell Cooperative Extension. A big shout out to Ariel. This is her first year with the network.

In many areas of New York State, blueberries are ripe, but in others, they are still green. Make sure you tailor your SWD Management accordingly, because green and hard fruit aren't susceptible to SWD.

Some help from a treefrog? Or is the treefrog enjoying easy pickings? I think this is the common gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor). No matter, these insectivores help reduce the number of insects in our fields. This toad helped Grace Marshall, NYS IPM, check an SWD trap this spring when blueberries were in full bloom.

Sustained catch, was obtained in 11 berry plantings in nine counties in NY between June 23 and 29. Trap catch numbers are creeping up and are hitting higher numbers some locations. Harvest continues in June strawberries and is now underway in raspberries (yum, my personal favorite) and blueberries.

With SWD found across most traps in NY and numbers climbing, it will be imperative to begin a spray program to protect fruit. SWD populations built up this year to coincide with berry and cherry harvests. This translates into a challenging year for SWD management.

Sustained catch on June 23

• Clinton County – 1 male and 1 female in a blueberry planting.
• Essex County - 6 males and 16 females in a raspberry planting.
• Orange County - 35 males and 21 females in a raspberry field.

Sustained catch on June 25

• Saratoga County – 4 males and 10 females in a blackberry planting.
• Saratoga County – 3 males and 5 females in a tart cherry orchard.
• Schuyler County - 1 male and 2 females in a blueberry planting.
• Schuyler County - 1 male and 9 females in a raspberry planting.
• Cayuga County - 1 males and 2 females in a raspberry planting.

Sustained catch on June 29

• Columbia County - 2 males and 4 females in a tart cherry orchard.
• Washington County - 1 male and 7 females in a blueberry planting.
• Wayne County - 1 female in a raspberry planting.

SWD has now been found in traps set in all but two counties in the monitoring network, but that doesn't mean it's not present in those counties. It is time to take SWD management seriously. If adult SWD are present on your farm, manage them aggressively now that harvests are underway and imminent.

Aggressive SWD management entails 5 key tactics:

1. Excellent sanitation will reduce SWD populations.

Fruit should be harvested frequently and completely to prevent the buildup of ripe and over-ripe fruit. Unmarketable fruit should be removed from the field and either frozen, “baked” in clear plastic bags placed in the sun, or disposed of in bags off-site. This will kill larvae, remove them from your crop, and prevent them from emerging as adults.

2. Canopy and water management will make the environment less favorable.

Prune to maintain an open canopy, increase sunlight and reduce humidity. This will make plantings less attractive to SWD and will improve spray coverage. Repair leaking drip lines and avoid overhead irrigation when possible. Allow the ground and mulch surface to dry before irrigating.

3. Insecticide sprays will kill SWD adults and thereby reduce egg laying:

Insecticide treatments should begin when either regional monitoring alerts about the first SWD trap catch or when highly susceptible fruit crops begin to ripen. Treatments should be applied at least every seven days and repeated in the event of rain. Choose the most effective insecticides with pre harvest intervals that work for your picking schedule.

Rotate insecticides according to their modes of action.

Quick reference guides:

• SWD insecticides for berries (http://www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/berry-insecticides.pdf)
• SWD insecticides for stone fruits and grapes (www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/treefruit-grape-insecticides.pdf)
• SWD insecticides for treating dropped fruit (www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/drop-cull-insecticides.pdf)

Check the Cornell Guidelines (cropandpestguides.cce.cornell.edu/) for the latest list of approved pesticides. Special needs labels are being sought for NY berries. Always read and follow the pesticide label instructions.

4. Regular fruit sampling:

At least 100 fruit per block per harvest should be observed for infestation. Talk to your local CCE agent about a monitoring program. Fruit can be inspected for evidence of larval feeding. Small holes in berries where the eggs were laid may leak juice when the berry is gently squeezed; this is especially diagnostic on blueberry. Infested red raspberry fruit may leave a red juice stain on the berry receptacle when the fruit is picked. Fruit with small indents or bruises where the berry surface appears to have flattened or deflated may be damaged.

A salt flotation method, immersing fruit in a solution of 1 Tbsp. (14.8 cc) table salt per 1 cup (236.6 ml) water, may cause larvae to float to surface. At least 100 fruit per block per harvest should be observed for infestation. Suggested methods were adapted for NY growers in Guidelines for Checking Fruit for SWD Larvae in the Field (https://cpb-us-e1.wpmucdn.com/blogs.cornell.edu/dist/0/7265/files/2017/01/SaltFloatation-2kmt284.pdf).

5. Cool berries immediately:Chilling berries immediately after harvest to 32^o – 33^o F will slow or stop the development of larvae and eggs in the fruit. U-Pick customers should be encouraged to refrigerate fruit immediately to maintain fruit quality at home.

Learn more about SWD. Check out the information on Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila, http://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/.

Thanks go out to:

• Elisabeth Hodgdon, ENYCHP CCE, who is monitoring Clinton County
• Andy Galimberti, ENYCHP CCE, who is monitoring Essex County
• Natasha Field, ENYCHP CCE, who is monitoring Saratoga and Columbia Counties
• Grace Marshall, NYSIPM CCE, who is monitoring Cayuga, Schuyler and Wayne Counties
• Sarah Tobin, ENYCHP CCE, who is monitoring Orange County
• Laura McDermott, ENYCHP CCE, who is monitoring Washington County

Sustained catch of a single male SWD in a trap set in a blueberry planting was found in Erie County. The traps were checked on June 24, 2020. Interestingly, the prior week when first catch was obtained on June 17 there were more SWD caught — one male and two females.

This can sometimes happen if weather conditions are unfavorable, extreme heat and dry conditions, or could result from insecticide applications that were made to manage SWD or other insects. These traps are being monitored by Sharon Bachman, Erie County Cornell Cooperative Extension.

So far, SWD has been caught in 21 of the 23 counties where traps are being monitored across NY State. Sustained catch – two weeks in a row – has occurred in about 11 of those counties.

Fruit is ripening across western NY and becoming susceptible to egg-laying. Brush up on SWD management, http://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/management/ on Cornell Fruit Resources.

Learn more about SWD. Check out the information on Cornell Fruit Resources Spotted Wing Drosophila, http://fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/.

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.

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):

• For berry crops www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/berry-insecticides.pdf
• For stone fruit and grapes www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/treefruit-grape-insecticides.pdf

SWD Management in Blueberry

• Read this blog, Managing SWD in blueberries at https://blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2019/08/02/managing-swd-in-blueberries/ .
• Spotted Wing Drosophila IPM in Blueberries from the NE IPM Center SWD Working Group, http://neipmc.org/go/swdpub2

SWD Management in Raspberry and Blackberry

• Read this blog, Managing SWD in raspberries and blackberries at https://blogs.cornell.edu/swd1/2019/07/17/managing-swd-in-raspberries-blackberries/
• Spotted Wing Drosophila IPM in Raspberries and Blackberries from the NE IPM Center SWD Working Group, http://neipmc.org/go/swdpub1

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

A single female SWD has ushered in SWD management in a blueberry planting in Onondaga County. The offending insect was caught in one of the four traps checked on June 23, 2020. Fruit is starting to color and, as it ripens, will be susceptible to egg-laying. These traps are being monitored by Grace Marshall, NYS IPM Program, Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Across New York, SWD reports are coming in – either first or sustained catch. This is at a time when berries and cherries are ripening up for harvest. This co-occurrence of events places these susceptible crops at high risk of infestation. It will be very important to bring to bear every management tactic and monitoring tactic available to stay ahead of SWD and protect your harvests. Read up on SWD Management, fruit.cornell.edu/spottedwing/management/, on Cornell Fruit Resources.

Pest management for SWD includes:

• Mowing – to reduce humidity and niches for SWD harborage and to increase sun penetration.
• Weed management – to reduce humidity, alternate fruiting hosts and harborage and to increase sun penetration.
• Pruning – to reduce humidity and to increase sun and spray penetration.
• Monitoring – to know if SWD is present when fruit is ripening.
• Sanitation – to reduce reproduction harborage and overall SWD population.
• Cold storage – to slow or kill any eggs and larvae in harvested fruit.
• Timely application of insecticides – to protect the crop from egg laying.
• Insecticide Quick Guides for NY State are found here (refresh the page to see the latest version) -
  • For berry crops www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/berry-insecticides.pdf
  • For stone fruit and grapes www.hort.cornell.edu/fruit/pdfs/swd/treefruit-grape-insecticides.pdf

Organic Growers: insecticides allowable in organic production are in the quick guides. Please note, Entrust must be rotated with other organically-approved insecticides in different IRAC groups to prevent resistance developing in SWD against Entrust. One option is Grandevo. We have new information showing it has moderate activity against SWD. The listing on the quick guide has been revised for stone fruit and grapes, but still needs to be updated for berries.

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