Spotted Wing Drosophila Update July 25, 2019

This post contains a summary of trap counts for July 17-25, 2019.  The numbers reported are number of SWD per trap.

The regional monitoring program is being conducted in berry and stone fruit crops and grapes in Essex, Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Norfolk, Niagara, Durham, Ottawa/Carleton and Northumberland counties.

The monitoring project is supported by a grant from the Canada Adaptation Program and collaboration among Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, Eastern Ontario Berry Growers, Grape Growers of Ontario, OMAFRA staff and private consultants.

Traps were first deployed last week (one week earlier in Essex Co) in berry and stone fruit blocks.  We have placed 4 traps with commercial SWD lures at each site.  Use these results in addition to your own monitoring program to determine when SWD is present on your farm.  Conduct a salt water test or a plastic baggie test to confirm presence of larvae in fruit.  This website gives instructions on doing this test.  None of the stone fruit that have been tested have yielded SWD larvae.

SWD has been identified in all monitored areas and counts have increased significantly from last week.  Once sustained catch occurs (two weeks in a row with SWD) growers with ripening crops susceptible to SWD should consider using a product with activity against SWD in preharvest sprays.  Check the SWD product registrations on our website.

This project was funded in part through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. The Agricultural Adaptation Council assists in the delivery of the Partnership in Ontario.