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Spotted Wing Drosophila larvae on blackberry and on blueberry fruit. [Photos by J. Pond]

Page updated January 19, 2010

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orange rumped bumblebee Native Pollinator Guide.
Click on the image. Sponsored by the Oregon Blueberry Commission and Washington Blueberry Commission and developed by Peerbolt Crop Management. If you have comments or suggestions please click here.

Raptors for Bird Management Guide.
Click on the image. Sponsored by the Oregon Blueberry Commission and Washington Blueberry Commission and developed by Peerbolt Crop Management. If you have comments or suggestions please click here.

Spotted Wing Drosophila Update for Northwest Berry Growers

Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), an exotic vinegar fly species, has rapidly emerged as a threat to NW berry crops, causing major economic damage to late season caneberries and blueberries in SW Washington and Western Oregon. It has also been found in strawberries, grapes, cherries, peaches, and other thin skinned fruit and is a threat to those crops as well.

Given our limited knowledge of the pest and its lifecycle in our region, the impact on the 2010 crop cannot be predicted; therefore, the coordination of accurate and timely information is critical to growers. Mistimed/unneeded pesticide applications and/or direct pest damage to crops could lead to economic losses.

A ‘working group/task force’ of research, extension, and industry personnel from California, Oregon, Washington and British Columbia is forming. A high level of coordination and cooperation of many people are going into this effort. For the time being, we’ll be using www.nwipm.com to give NW berry growers and the industry SWD updates and links to the many sites and people getting involved with helping all of us address this issue and prepare for the coming season.

Spotted Wing Drosophila Resources

  • Click here for the recently posted British Columbia SWD Pest Alert. Great information and photos.
  • Click here to go to the blog maintained by Mark Bolda, UC Extension agent. Mark regularly posts results for his SWD monitoring and control material trials for both conventional and organic growers. Click here to view and/or subscribe to the RSS feed on the site to get any recent posts sent to you immediately.
  • Recent research results for baiting/monitoring techniques for SWD from Mark Bolda, UC extension. Click here.
  • For the OSU Horticulture’s regularly updated SWD website: Click here.
  • For the hot-off-the-presses OSU Extension publication (6 page PDF) with photos and detailed information: Click here.
  • For the online workspace with links and bulletin boards for sharing information: Click here.
  • For the UC Davis IPM information: Click here.
  • (OR) Spotted Wing Drosophila identified in wine grapes: Click here. (10/16, Oregon Natural Resources Report)
  • (OR) Asian fly poses new threat to Oregon ag: Click here. (10/15, Corvallis Gazette Times)
  • (FL) New Spotted Wing Drosophila to attack Florida strawberries: Click here. Please note that this is a large file. (9/09, Berry/ Vegetable Times)

Click here for berryinnovation.com, an online trade magazine for the northwest berry industry.

Industry News/Resources

  • Blueberries may boost memory in older adults: Study: Click here (1/11, BeverageDaily.com)
  • Florida freeze may have damaged 30% of crops: Click here (1/14, TampaBayOnline.com)
  • New FDA deputy to lead Food-safety mandate: Click here (1/14, Washington Post)
  • Mississippi blueberry acreage on the rise: Click here (1/15, Delta Farm Press)
  • Groups seek regulation of bumblebee shipments: Click here (1/12, Seattle PI)
  • Woodland strawberry genome sequenced: Click here (1/15, The Western Farm Press)

About Northwest Integrated Pest Management Web Site

This Site has been created by Peerbolt Crop Management (Tom & Anna Peerbolt) to provide the northwest small fruit industry with a convenient place to access needed information on integrated pest management (IPM). It will also serve as an informational base for industry resources and events. The flexibility of being web based allo1ws us to provide timely weather and pest alerts as well as update the constantly changing control options available to growers. The advantage (and disadvantage) of this project is that it relies on interaction and a flow of information to keep it alive and working. Please, let us know if there are links that don't work or if there is information we should update or add that you'd find useful.

Our Sources

Much of our chemical pest control label information comes from Joe DeFrancesco, a pesticide specialist at Oregon State University. Joe runs the IR-4 project there as well as coordinating Pest Management Strategic Plans for many Oregon crops. He also provides growers with much needed information on the ever changing control options. His activities on behalf of the northwest small fruit industry are critical as a link between regulatory agencies, control manufacturers and growers.

Our insect and disease information relies on many sources besides our own knowledge and experience. The primary ones are the Caneberry PMSP, Blueberry PMSP, Strawberry Crop Profile, Oregon State University Online Plant Disease Manual and PNW Insect Control Manual. Thanks to Jay Pschiedt and Joe DeFrancesco for doing such a great job. Other major sources are:Whatcom County Raspberry IPM Manual, Washington State University, Hortsense, the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture, University of California IPM Manual, and Cornell University. Other sources throughout the U.S. are also sited and linked.

Photos

We have cited the photographer or source of all the photos on this site, noting the few unknown to us. Many of the pictures on this site are our own or come from Oregon State University. However, to provide photos that best help identify a pest or diagnose a problem, we have depended on many sources. If you have photos that you would be willing to share, please let us know.

Promise and Disclaimer

We will keep the information accurate and up-to-date to the best of our abilities. However, we can't issue any guarantees on this information since we are relying on many sources and changes can happen quickly. If you're in doubt, check with your local sources of information--extension, other growers, industry fieldmen, or private consultants.

Copyright/Permission

Any photos by T. Peerbolt or A. Peerbolt can be copied and used as long as we are cited as the source. If you feel that we have used your information or photos inappropriately, please contact us.