Spotted Wing Drosophila Update, Aug 1-7, 2019

This post contains a summary of trap counts for Aug 1-7, 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, Norfolk, Niagara, Durham, Ottawa/Carleton and Northumberland counties.  It will gradually shift to stone fruit and grapes as the season progresses.

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.

We have placed 4 traps with commercial SWD lures at each site.  The contents are counted each week using dissecting microscopes by my peerless crew.  The feature image shows non-SWD on the left and female SWD on the right.

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.  Click here for instructions on doing this test.

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.