US: Fly threatens New England fruit
Last summer, the Drosophila Suzukii fly first showed up at Dole Orchards in Limington, Maine. This fruit fly is known for its spotted wings and its love of berries.
When asked if he had ever experienced a threat of this magnitude on his farm, Earl Bunting said, "No, It’s something new that everyone is learning to deal with. We don’t know what it is going to mean."
Jim Dill, Ph.D, is a pest management specialist with the University of Maine in Orono who is tracking the pest’s movements. He assembles traps with vinegar, sticky tape, and red plastic cups to determine if even one fly has infested an area.
This spotted wing fly is so dangerous to the crop because it goes after fruit that is still ripening, not rotted fruit.
It also has a special tool which allows it to work with greater efficiency, according to Dill. "It can saw into ripening fruit, so instead of overripe fruit, this particular insect will start in the process early on in the process of the fruit as its ripening, lay its eggs, and then the maggots develop inside the ripening fruit."
It was only four years ago when the first fly was discovered in the US, in California. It has managed to spread very quickly across the entire width of the country. Soem say it has spread with the aid of the wind. Specifically, it might have hitched a ride with Hurricane Irene or Tropical Storm Lee.
“A good gust of wind could very easily knock them 10-20 feet away, and if they actually get up in the wind currents, they might be able to travel miles,” explained Dill.
The consequences could be severe. Maine harvested 80 million pounds of blueberries last year. That crop was worth almost $200 million.
The spotted wing fly isn’t just a problem in Maine. Scientists also found this fruit fly in Massachusetts, and will be monitoring fields here to see if it comes back.
Source: boston.cbslocal.com
