ExirelTM, a novel management tool for the invasive spotted wing drosophila Drosophila suzukii

DuPont™ Exirel^TM  insect control (Cyazypyr®, DuPont Crop Protection, Wilmington, DE), is a novel cross-spectrum anthranilic diamide insecticide that was discovered by the DuPont Company. Field, greenhouse and laboratory studies in many countries around the world have shown that Exirel™ is a very effective insecticide against chewing and sucking pests and also against other insect pests such as thrips and fruit flies. Exirel^TM has shown deleterious effects on Drosophila suzukii, including causing males to abandon intoxicated females during mating, reducing the female’s egg laying capability, and having a strong adulticide effect on both males and females mainly through ingestion. The unique mode of action of Exirel^TM allows selective control of the above mentioned pests while conserving beneficial arthropods including coccinellid predators, staphylinid beetles, carabid beetles, predatory thrips, Phytoseiid predatory mites, and several parasitoid species including some in the genus Trichogramma.  Exirel™ has an excellent eco-tox and environmental-fate profile.  This in addition to the beneficial arthropod conservation will make Exirel™ a good fit in IPM programs of the invasive spotted wing drosophila, D. suzukii.