spotted wing drosophila

Emerging insect threats for Texas Fruit

Erfan VafaieNovember 3, 2014May 1, 2015Presentationsbagrada bug, brown marmorated stink bug, european pepper moth, fruit, spotted wing drosophilaLeave a comment

Delivered to the attendees of the 2014 Texas Fruit Conference at College Station, this presentation discussed some of the emerging fruit pests in Texas that growers should be aware of and recognize their damage.

Spotted Wing Drosophila in Texas

Erfan VafaieJuly 24, 2014May 19, 2016Growers, Top Watchcherry pest, fly, fruit, fruit fly, larva, larva in fruit, small hole, soft fruit, spotted wing drosophila, strawberry pest, Vegetable and fruitLeave a comment

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Drosophila suzukii, Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), is an invasive pest that attacks several soft-bodied fruit, such as cherries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and grapes. Similar in size to the common fruit fly, except the females have a serrated ovipositor (organ used for depositing eggs), allowing them to lay eggs in fruit just before harvest. As a result, the fruit can be unfit for fresh markets by the time they are harvested, resulting in crop loss. If you would like to send samples to confirm SWD identification, please use the spotted wing drosophila submission form.

Traps should be set in the crop canopy.

Male spotted wing drosophila can be distinguished by he spots on the tips of the first wing vein.

Two males with spots on their wings.

Female spotted wing drosophila can be distinguished by their serrated ovipositor under a microscope.

A trained eye can recognize spotted wing drosophila without any visual aid.

Yellow sticky traps can also catch spotted wing drosophila, although they tend to be less effective than apple cider vinegar traps.

Continue reading “Spotted Wing Drosophila in Texas”

Erfan VafaieMay 13, 2014March 20, 2020Presentationsinvasives, spotted wing drosophila2 Comments

A short presentation on Spotted Wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, which is a new pest to North America (2008). It is a new pest to many soft-bodied fruit, such as cherries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries. If you think you may have Spotted Wing Drosophila in your crop, be sure to contact me and send a sample if possible.