A new pest attacking healthy ripening fruit in Oregon: Spotted Wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura)

Pest of Concern
Infestations of the Spotted Wing Drosophila fly (Diptera: Drosophilidae; SWD), an exotic pest, were found in Oregon fruits. Of the 3000 species of Drosophila, commonly known as vinegar flies, but only two have been found to be harmful to crops, of which SWD is one. The SWD can infest and cause a great deal of damage to ripening fruit, as opposed to overripe and fallen fruit that are infested by most of the other Drosophila species. We have just confirmed findings of SWD in blueberries in Philomath, Benton County in Oregon, and have found suspect maggots (larvae) in wild blackberries, red raspberries and some leftover late hanging Marion blackberries east of Corvallis. In addition, maggot samples from the North Willamette Research and Extension Center (Aurora, OR) are also being reared to confirm fly identity. Continued searches for SWD are currently being conducted outside Corvallis over the next weeks. Here is the entire alert. Please visit the following websites for the lastest on SWD.

http://sites.google.com/site/spottedwingdrosophila/
http://suzukiioregon.hort.oregonstate.edu/