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Cherry tree now infested with spotted wing drosophila #875538
Asked July 01, 2024, 4:35 PM EDT
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
Hello, happy to help.
Not to worry, SWD appears some years and then doesn't in other years. There are things to know that may set your mind at ease. Mostly they drift up from the south meaning that the final generation at the end of the summer in Minnesota usually doesn't survive our winters. But some years, given the right wintery conditions a few may emerge.
The time to watch for them is just before your fruit starts to color up. You can set a homemade trap to help you spot them. Harvest fruit frequently. Bag any that are older or have fallen to the ground in clear plastic bags and set out in the sun to heat up enough to kill any larvae in the fruit. That can keep their numbers down during successive generations of which there are several during the summer. Discard the bags in the garbage, don't compost or bury the fruit, SWD eggs have survived being buried as deep as 18 inches.
I have covered just a small amount of information above. For more that discusses SWD biology, management and control methods, and more, check out this link about SWD.
Good-luck!