Spotted wing drosophila pheromone (Drosophila suzukii)
Spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii).
Used on berry, fruit and melon crops
Remove the bait from the sachet, place it in the center of the trap and place it at a height of 1.5-2 m. For monitoring, the density of baits should be at least 1 per hectare, but less than 2 per farm. The most suitable trap to use with pheromone bait is the deltoid trap. It is recommended to start using baits even before the development of the first generation of the pest, and continue until the end of the season.
Before cropping, place 80-100 Suzukii traps per hectare around the edge of the crop at 2-10m intervals. As the cropping season progresses, increase the trap density and move traps into the crop, using one trap per 200m2. Traps and lures can also be placed in woodland areas overwinter to reduce overwintering SWD populations.
Manufacturer: Russell IPM
The bait is a rubber dispenser containing artificially synthesized and identical to natural Drosophila suzukii pheromone and is in a sealed metallized sachet. A pheromone is a highly specific chemical that is only recognized by members of a single species and will attract male pests for 4-6 weeks.
Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii, occurs in Asia, Africa, Europe, Oceania and the Americas. It is a highly-invasiveand destructive pest ofberries and stone fruits, such as cherry, nectarine, apricot, plum, peach, strawberry and raspberry. Adults lay their eggs into semi-ripe and ripe fruits, and damage is caused by larval feeding and fruit rots due to secondary exposure to pathogens and other feeding insects. The larvae are difficult to target with pesticides and there are reports of up complete crop loss if left unchecked. Russell IPM offer a variety of traps and lures for monitoring and mass trapping as well as a general repellent as part of a push-pull strategy.
SWD are reproductively prolific, achieving 13 generations per annum in favourable conditions. In optimal conditions, SWD can be active for 10 months of the year, before adults overwinter until the following year.
- SWD can withstand cold winter temperatures and overwinter as adult flies
- Oviposition (egg laying) occurs between spring and autumn
- A single female can lay 7-16 eggs per day for 10-65 days
- An average female will lay 195 eggs in her lifetime
- Eggs hatch in 1-3 days
- Larvae mature in 3-13 days, feeding within their hosts fruit
- Larvae usually pupate in fruit but can drop off the host plant and pupate in soil
- Pupae emerge from 4-43 days dependant on temperature
Nature of Damage:
Female SWD puncture the surface of fruit in order to deposit their eggs, which are sometimes seen sunken into the fruit and surrounded by a brown or black marks. Larvae then hatch and feed on the fleshy pulp within fruitsleaving large sunken holes, diminishing their quality. Consequently, the fruit rots due to secondary exposure to pathogens and other feeding insects. Pupal cases can be seen sticking out of fruits, particularly in softer and smaller hosts. Other Drosophila species also lay their eggs within fruit punctured by SWD.
