Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) Update – June 17, 2016

Traps for SWD are installed at approximately 30 sites across Ontario. Thanks to the many summer students and agribusiness volunteers who are collecting traps each week.

The first SWD were trapped in traps collected June 6, in Harrow and in Niagara region. In both cases the traps were in wild host near the field edges.
This week (June 13-17, so far, SWD was trapped in a strawberry field in Elgin county in a fruiting strawberry field, and Kent county in a wild host .
Numbers are still 1 per trap in traps where SWD has been found.

It does seem a bit early, but it is normal to find the first SWD in wild hosts and in the early regions. Growers in southwestern Ontario and Niagara should keep a close eye on strawberries, because this is pretty much the only fruit out there and SWD will be finding it. Watch for unusually juicy soft fruit. A salt water test for larvae will quickly tell you if you need to tighten the picking schedule and spray an insecticide. In any case, pick as thoroughly as possible and chill fruit promptly after harvest.

Emergency use registrations are in place again this year for SWD control.