Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, in Virginia vineyards: Crop effects and prospects for biological control

Tuesday, April 5, 2016: 8:48 AM
Neptune Room (Pacific Beach Hotel)
Douglas G. Pfeiffer , Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Meredith Shrader , Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
James Wahls , Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Curt A. Laub , Department of Entomology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA
Spotted wing drosophila first entered Virginia in 2011, and has caused infestations in berry crops, including grapes. Differences among winegrape varieties have been noted.  Initiation of the main risk period has been estimated, beginning well after veraison.  Cluster development poses a unique problem to managing infestation in grape, which will be discussed.  Sentinel traps with larvae of spotted wing drosophila, African fig fly and Drosophila melanogaster, have revealed challenges to biological control efforts.