Traps have gone up for spotted wing drosophila at a few sites across the province- Norfolk, Elgin, Halton, Haldimand, and Hamilton.
SWD was identified this week in Norfolk and Elgin counties. No SWD was found at the other locations.
Trap collected period of: | County/region where SWD was trapped | # of traps with SWD | Total number of SWD trapped this week | # SWD/positive trap |
May 26- June 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
June 2-June 8 | Norfolk, Elgin | 2 | 2 | 1 |
June 9- June 13 | Halton | 1 | 1 | 1 |
June 14-June 16 | Norfolk | 3 | 3 | 1 |
June 17-June 20 | Elgin | 5 | 9 | 1.8 |
Management is needed once we have sustained catch (2 weeks in a row) and ripe fruit is present. No sites where we are monitoring are at sustained catch, however, we have limited trap locations so monitoring on your own farm is important. If there is ripe fruit present (strawberries, early raspberries, haskaps) use salt water tests to monitor the fruit as an early warning. Watch for soft, juicy fruit.
Insecticides are needed once SWD is active in your area and there is ripe fruit present. See the June 13 update for a list of registered products. Don’t count on sprays alone:
- Tighten picking schedules- regular, thorough harvest (every 2 days if possible) is important.
- Cool fruit immediately after harvest.
- Keep alleys clean- either remove unmarketable fruit or crush it in the alley
- After unmarketable fruit is removed it should be destroyed (disposed of, or leave in plastic bags in the sun).
- Make the environment less favourable to SWD- prune the canopy and manage water to reduce humidity (repair leaking drop lines).
- Calibrate your sprayers now to ensure excellent coverage once you start to spray.
- Insecticides target SWD adults- make sure to spray when adults are active, in the morning (6am-10am) and evening (6pm-10pm).
- Do not spray in temperatures over 25°C.
- Renovate June-bearing strawberries as soon as harvest is over.