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Got some gross updates
I am sure some of you have hear about Spotted Wing Drosophilia. it's an insect that attracts all and any soft fruit by laying eggs in the flesh as it ripens and then the larva feed and cause sunken brown spots.
from the U of M extension:
SWD larvae feed on healthy, intact, ripening fruits. In particular, the SWD will feed on thin-skinned, soft fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, plums and cherries. SWD larvae feed within the fruits causing brown, sunken areas. It is possible these symptoms won’t appear until after the crops are harvested. In addition to the damage caused directly by the larvae, the feeding makes the fruits susceptible to infestation by other insects, rot fungi, and bacteria.
Not mentioned is that SWD will also feed on grapes. so this pest could be a big problem for all of us wine makers and fruit aficionados.
I just started picking my pie cherries at a freinds, and noticed that much of the fruit had sunken brown spots, and were smushy, then i spotted several of the flies, and ID'd them as SWD.
i just thought that someone should get the word out about it, it has been spotted as far north as the Carrington ND Research Center, so it seems few of us will be completely safe from it.
there are insecticides and traps you can use, so don't lose hope! contact your extension for more info.
Photo creds: CREC Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project Facebook Page
the Larva emerging from strawberries
an adult SWD on a black raspberry
Got some gross updates
I am sure some of you have hear about Spotted Wing Drosophilia. it's an insect that attracts all and any soft fruit by laying eggs in the flesh as it ripens and then the larva feed and cause sunken brown spots.
from the U of M extension:
SWD larvae feed on healthy, intact, ripening fruits. In particular, the SWD will feed on thin-skinned, soft fruits such as raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, grapes, plums and cherries. SWD larvae feed within the fruits causing brown, sunken areas. It is possible these symptoms won’t appear until after the crops are harvested. In addition to the damage caused directly by the larvae, the feeding makes the fruits susceptible to infestation by other insects, rot fungi, and bacteria.
Not mentioned is that SWD will also feed on grapes. so this pest could be a big problem for all of us wine makers and fruit aficionados.
I just started picking my pie cherries at a freinds, and noticed that much of the fruit had sunken brown spots, and were smushy, then i spotted several of the flies, and ID'd them as SWD.
i just thought that someone should get the word out about it, it has been spotted as far north as the Carrington ND Research Center, so it seems few of us will be completely safe from it.
there are insecticides and traps you can use, so don't lose hope! contact your extension for more info.
Photo creds: CREC Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project Facebook Page
the Larva emerging from strawberries
an adult SWD on a black raspberry
