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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #317137
Title: Multi-state Comparison of Attractants for Monitoring Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Blueberries and Caneberries

Author
item BURRACK, HANNAH - North Carolina State University
item ASPLEN, MARK - Metropolitan State University
item BAHDER, LUZ - Washington State University
item COLLINS, JUDITH - University Of Maine
item DRUMMOND, FRANCIS - University Of Maine
item GUEDOT, CHRISTELLE - University Of Wisconsin
item ISAACS, RUFUS - Michigan State University
item JOHNSON, DONN - University Of Arkansas
item BLANTON, ANNA - University Of Minnesota
item Lee, Jana
item LOEB, GREGORY - Cornell University
item RODRIGUEZ-SAONA, CESAR - Rutgers University
item VAN TIMMEREN, STEVE - Michigan State University
item WALSH, DOUG - Washington State University
item MCPHIE, DOUGLAS - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: Environmental Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/2015
Publication Date: 3/22/2015
Citation: Burrack, H., Asplen, M., Bahder, L., Collins, J., Drummond, F., Guedot, C., Isaacs, R., Johnson, D., Blanton, A., Lee, J.C., Loeb, G., Rodriguez-Saona, C., Van Timmeren, S., Walsh, D., Mcphie, D. 2015. Multi-state Comparison of Attractants for Monitoring Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Blueberries and Caneberries. Environmental Entomology. 44:704-712.

Interpretive Summary: Spotted wing drosophila (SWD) has recently spread globally and is a significant pest in blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and strawberries. SWD populations can increase quickly, and infestation is difficult to predict and prevent. Research has focussed on the the development of effective tools to detect SWD presence in new areas, to detect flight at the beginning of annual activity, to track seasonal activity patterns, and to evaluate the effectiveness of management programs. We compared the efficiency, selectivity, and relationship to fruit infestation of a range of commonly used homemade baits and a commercially formulated lure across a wide range of environments in ten locations throughout the United States. Several homemade baits were more efficient than apple cider vinegar, a commonly used standard, and that a commercially formulated lure was, in some configurations and environments, comparable to the most effective homemade attractant. All alternative attractants also captured flies between one to two weeks earlier than apple cider vinegar. At a subset of sites, SWD was detected in traps before fruit infestations were found. However, none of the bait or lure combinations tested was selective for SWD. Over half the Drosophila spp. flies captured in traps baited with any of the attractants were not SWD. The alternative SWD attractants tested improve on apple cider vinegar alone and may be useful in the development of future synthetic lures.

Technical Abstract: Drosophila suzukii, also referred to as the spotted wing drosophila, has recently and dramatically expanded its global range with significant consequences for its primary host crops: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and strawberries. D. suzukii populations can increase quickly, and infestation is difficult to predict and prevent. The development of effective tools to detect D. suzukii presence in new areas, to time the beginning of annual activity, to track seasonal activity patterns, and to gauge the effectiveness of management efforts has been a key research goal. We compared the efficiency, selectivity, and relationship to fruit infestation of a range of commonly used homemade baits and a commercially formulated lure across a wide range of environments in ten locations throughout the United States. Several homemade baits were more efficient than apple cider vinegar, a commonly used standard, and that a commercially formulated lure was, in some configurations and environments, comparable to the most effective homemade attractant. All alternative attractants also captured flies between one to two weeks earlier than apple cider vinegar, and, at a subset of sites, detected the presence of D. suzukii prior to the development of fruit infestation. However, none of the bait or lure combinations tested was selective for D. suzukii. Over half the Drosophila spp. flies captured in traps baited with any of the attractants were not D. suzukii. The alternative D. suzukii attractants tested improve on apple cider vinegar alone and may be useful in the development of future synthetic lures.