Spotted Wing Drosophila

Timely Viticulture is an electronic newsletter designed to remind grape producers of seasonal vineyard needs and considerations throughout the year.

Fruit and Vegetable News, Volume 12, Issue 4 (July 15, 2021)

Growers and an alert county agent, Ben Beale, have found what most likely will be an infestation of spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in cherries in southern Maryland (St. Mary’s County). I say "most likely" because I have the cherries and the maggots but it is very difficult to identify SWD from other fruit or vinegar fly maggots.

A few blueberry and cherry growers in central Maryland have reported fruit damage to their crop from Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) this week. If you grow any small fruit such as blueberries, cherries, blackberries, raspberries it would be best if you check these crops for the presence of SWD.

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii) is a small fly that lays its eggs into ripening and ripe soft-skinned fruit, causing direct damage and wounds that other pests and pathogens can use. Although they prefer fully colored ripe fruit, they are capable of infesting fruit that is just starting to turn color and will do so when populations are high.