Assessment of Anthonomus Signatus (Say) in Southeastern Plasticulture Strawberry Production

Female strawberry bud weevils (Anthonomus signatus) have been documented ovipositing in developing flower buds in strawberries (Fragaria spp.), caneberries (Rubus spp.), and red bud (Cercis canadensis). Following oviposition of a single egg, adult weevils will girdle or “clip” buds, preventing fruit development.  This damage is of concern to commercial strawberry growers, but meaningful information on strawberry bud weevil impact and prevalence in annually grown, plasticulure strawberry production is lacking.  Typically, strawberry bud weevils monitoring has consisted of examination of clipped buds because beetles are difficult to observe. We assessed the relationship between beetle captures in yellow sticky traps to damage on adjacent plants at ten commercial strawberry farms throughout North Carolina and one farm in Virginia in order to determine if trap captures provide an accurate representation of damage or damage potential.