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21:52:03
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- Author: Mark Bolda
Published on: November 21, 2008
During the last two months, this office has had many samples of strawberry and raspberry fruit infested with fruit fly larvae submitted. What has been notable about this species of fruit fly is that it is infesting maturing fruit, rather than over-ripe and rotten fruit, as is the case with the vinegar fly that we are all accustomed with.
These new fruit flies found this fall have been found in very high numbers in strawberry and caneberry fields northeast of Watsonville.
The new species of fruit fly is Drosophila suzukii (misidentified in November 2008 as Drosophila biarmipes). Adults of this fruit fly found are almost identical to the regular vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster, with the exception that the males have one black spot on the back portion of each wing.
I have submitted samples to the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and found that this fruit fly is not new to California. It is categorized as a Class ‘C’ pest and is not subject to any exceptional regulatory scrutiny.
It is imperative that growers look for this fruit fly early on next year, and take steps to control it early, before it becomes a pest of the proportions it has been this year.
It is advisable not to leave strawberries and caneberries to continue to fruit without harvest over the winter, as it is suspected that the D. suzukii will continue to breed and multiply in these areas. Having large numbers of this pest overwinter will only exacerbate problems next year.
While the embedded larvae are not controlled short of destroying the fruit, the adults are relatively easy to control with pesticides. Malathion is effective for conventional growers, and Pyganic is very effective for organic growers. Since only the adults are being controlled with pesticide applications, multiple applications spaced 7 to 10 days apart will probably be best for long term control.
There are several insecticides mentioned for control of fruit flies in this article. Before using any insecticides, check with your local Agricultural Commissioner's Office and consult product labels for current status of product registration, restrictions, and use information.
Photo courtesy of Ed Show- Driscoll Strawberry Associates
Photo courtesy of Ed Show- Driscoll Strawberry Associates
Photo courtesy of Ed Show- Driscoll Strawberry Associates
Drosophila biarmipes larvae in fruit
Noticed many flies on my car today. they seems to be drinking sap that was on the car. (?))
Michelle Fountain
East Malling Research
Kent
ME19 6BJ
UK
Yes.
Mark
Thanks,
Lucy Heyming
You could try intensive trapping around the area with apple cider vinegar or the yeast sugar water concotion mentioned elsewhere in this blog. We have never been able to gain satisfactory levels of control with trapping. I think sanitation as you describe will help somewhat, but will not completely eliminate these flies.
Mark
Thanks you for your question, and the answer is quite simply no. These are vinegar flies, meaning the larvae can't survive outside of fruit, much less in the caustic, harsh environment of the human digestive system.
Mark
You should check with your extension service for information on your particular area.
Mark
No, the larvae of the fly will not cause harm if consumed. Yes, at an advanced stage they are visible, but normally they are not.
Cornmeal I doubt will do anything at all. What you should consider is perhaps putting fine mesh nets over the blueberry plants so the flies can't get in a week or so before maturity. Sanitation, in other words removing over-rip fruit, from on and around the plant can help.
If you are looking for organically registered sprays, there are references to how well they work on this blog.
This is I learned from our plant pathologist Steven Koike, but it is doubtful that the Macrophomina infecting strawberries goes to raspberries. Not 100% sure though.
m'autorisez-vous à utiliser votre photo "Drosophila biarmipes on raspberry fruit", pour illustrer un article à paraître sur le site de la Société Nantaise d'Horticulture.
merci de votre réponse.
Mary Fruneau
https://sites.google.com/site/societenantaisedhorticulture/
Mark