Oct 15, 2012

Group asks for input about Spotted Wing Drosophila

The Northeast IPM Spotted Wing Drosophila Working Group (headed up by Greg Loeb at Cornell Univ.), is gathering information on the level crop damage that occurred on grower farms in the Northeastern U.S.

Please take five minutes to help us fight the spotted wing drosophila (SWD), a new insect pest that threatens berry crops in the Northeast.

Unlike most fruit fly species that only attack overripe and rotten fruit, SWDs can lay eggs in ripening soft-skinned fruit such as raspberries, blueberries and strawberries, infesting them before harvest.

An Asian native, SWDs were first detected in North America in California in 2008, and made their way to the Northeast in the 2011 growing season. In 2012, they were back earlier in the season and appear to have caused widespread damage, especially in late-season blueberry varieties, fall raspberries and day-neutral strawberries. Extension educators and researchers received questions and reports of SWD damage daily.

So that we can better understand the scope and economic impact of this new pest to berry growers in the Northeast, we request that you to complete a brief online survey. This information will be invaluable in defining the problem and informing policymakers and funders of the best way to support research and extension efforts to battle SWD.

The survey is anonymous and information about specific farms will not be released to the public. (The only identification information we ask is the county where you observed damage.)

So that we can share the results of our survey at an upcoming strategy meeting, please complete the survey by October 19, 2012. Questions? Cathy Heidenreich, 315-787-2367 or [email protected].

Thank you for sharing your information and helping us fight this new threat to the Northeast berry industry.

Northeast IPM Spotted Wing Drosophila Working Group

Take the survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3FH6X3Q

More about SWD from Cornell: http://www.fruit.cornell.edu/berry/pestalerts/drosophilapestalert.html