Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD)- 2021 harvesting season

We are seeing Spotted Wing Drosophila in some fields and growers from several locations have told me they have SWD in their traps.

It is good to put traps out to monitor the pest, especially if you have late fields. This information factsheet introduces the pest and monitoring method: https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/SWD-factsheet_March2020.pdf

Once a fly is captured, treatment should begin for all susceptible crops in that area. Please refer to our pest management guide for product recommendations:

https://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Wild-Blueberry-WEED-INSECT-DISEASE-GUIDE-2021-WEB.pdf

SWD trapping, Blueberry Fruit fly and other annoying pests

For those who didn't make the field day on the weekend, Dr. Deb Moreau gave an update on SWD trap captures in western NS and the Annapolis valley.  She is seeing some captures in hedgerows around many different berry crops and has begun taking berry samples to see if egg laying has begun.

This is quite early for our region and is a bit concerning for wild blueberry.  We should begin trapping for swd in wild blueberry http://www.perennia.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Monitoring-for-Spotted-Wing-Drosophila.pdf (click on link for info)

As of yet we have not seen SWD in Northern NS, where most of the wild blueberry is located.  Wild blueberries are not the preferred host of swd, but they can and will use the fruit.  I will be monitoring in several sites and will update if we get any captures.

In the meantime, controlling for Blueberry Fruit fly should be done soon if you have populations in your fields.  Imidan will work well on fruit fly and low levels of swd, if they are there.

SWD Update

We are continuing to monitor for SWD as we move through the harvest season.  The Annapolis valley and western Nova Scotia have had positive captures (low levels) in field borders and in hedge rows for the last couple of weeks.

Yesterday, we had our first positive capture in Central NS in a hedgerow.  We found 1 male fly, in one of our traps. The trap is not in a wild blueberry field.  This capture is expected based on what we have seen in previous years.  We expect to see sporadic, low level captures over the next couple of weeks. Historically, we have not seen SWD populations increase rapidly until we get into September, and based on what we are seeing, this is what we are expecting this year, for central and Northern NS.  Growers with later harvest fields should consider monitoring those later fields.

At this point, there is no reason to consider treating any field for SWD.

SWD Update - for NS

So we have the first confirmed capture of SWD in Nova Scotia.  Dr. Deb Moreau has reported her first captures in south west Nova Scotia.  This first capture is quite a bit later from previous years. The delay is mainly due to the cool spring and summer.  Our heat unit accumulations are well behind the five year averages for Nova Scotia. She is capturing the flies at roughly a 1:1 ratio (male:female).  Given that, when we are trapping and we see an adult male, it is reasonable to assume there is a female there as well.  We can continue to primarily look for the adult male as our indicator, this makes monitoring for the grower much easier. (spot on each wing)

We have not seen any confirmed captures of SWD in Northern and Central NS as of yet.  According to trends from recent years, I would not expect to see captures for a week or two in wild blueberry fields in Northern and Central NS.  That being said it is still important for growers to continue monitoring for this pest.

From a wild blueberry perspective this is good news as many are thinking about starting harvest within the next few days.

I will continue to keep people updated as we go through harvest.

SWD update September 12

Sorry for the delay in getting another update out, but SWD numbers have been slow to rise in Northern NS.  I still haven't caught any adults in the traps I have been monitoring.


We are starting to get more reports of some sporadic captures around the area, but as we near the very tail end of harvest we have escaped any major issues for the most part.


We will be sitting down this fall and trying to map out exactly why this numbers didn't increase as expected this year.


Mother nature was very kind to us in many ways this year. 

NS SWD Update - July 25th, 2014

Berries are starting to get quite blue and the rain we got this week is much needed.

As of yet I have not seen and have no reports of "SWD" in or adjacent to commercial wild blueberry fields in NS.

In the Annapolis valley (Kings County only), Dr. Deb Moreau has captured low levels over the last couple of weeks.

1-Male: July 2-8th
1-Male, 2-females: July 16-22nd

This is much earlier than previous years but numbers are still very low. Also Deb is using a stronger attractant than previous years, so this may account for some of the earlier catches.

It is very important as we approach harvest that everyone be monitoring.

The fact that many have had to treat for Blueberry fruit fly should help slow down SWD build up.

Spotted Wing Drosophila Update (SWD)

There have been confirmed captures of SWD in the Mt. Thom area.  It is likely that there are low level populations throughout Mainland Nova Scotia.

Continued monitoring is important!