An invasive species of Asian fruit fly, first spotted in the Willamette Valley last fall, has survived the winter and remains a threat to Oregon’s fruit crop.
Researchers with Oregon State University say it was only a couple of weeks ago that they found evidence of the spotted wing drosophila in some of their monitoring traps.
In just a few months, the flies were able to do some serious damage. According to OSU, Willamette Valley growers lost 20% of their blueberries and raspberries, as well as 80% of their late season peaches.
Unlike other fruit flies that prefer rotting fruit, this variety likes fruit the best just before it’s ready to be picked. OSU says it will also feed on a wide variety of grapes, cherries, pears and plums.
Getting rid of the pest won’t be easy. Simply applying pesticides will kill off other insects that are beneficial to fruit crops. And because the fly reproduces rapidly, it can also evolve and develop a resistance to pesticides during a single growing season.
The spotted wing drosophila is relatively new to the United States, so there’s a lot researchers have to learn. OSU is teaming up with staffers from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the USDA. The group is testing more effective traps so they can better monitor what’s happening. They’re also trying an organic spray to kill the flies that survived the winter, before they lay eggs this spring.
A public session will be held on March 30, from 1 to 5 p.m., at the Airport Sheraton Hotel in Portland. Presentations and hands-on activities focus on the fly’s life cycle, field identification and monitoring, and evolving options for control. Pre-registration is not required.
More information on other workshops visit:
http://swd.hort.oregonstate.edu/
we are curious about the proper method and bait for the SWD trap.