Spotted Wing Drosophila Update

Jul 01, 2019

Spotted Wing Drosophila Update, June 18-24, 2019

This post contains a summary of trap counts for June 18-24, 2019. The numbers reported are number of SWD per trap.

The regional monitoring program is being conducted in berry and stone fruit crops and grapes in Essex, Chatham-Kent, Elgin, Norfolk, Niagara, Durham, Ottawa/Carleton and Northumberland counties.

The monitoring project is supported by a grant from the Canada Adaptation Program and collaboration among Niagara Peninsula Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Ontario Tender Fruit Growers, Eastern Ontario Berry Growers, Grape Growers of Ontario, OMAFRA staff and private consultants.

Traps were first deployed last week (one week earlier in Essex Co) in berry and stone fruit blocks. We have placed 4 traps with commercial SWD lures at each site. Use these results in addition to your own monitoring program to determine when SWD is present on your farm. Conduct a salt water test or a plastic baggie test to confirm presence of larvae in fruit.

Source : Ontario.Ca

Video: Spring Planting Prep Just Got Serious… We NEED This!

Getting closer to planting season means one thing… it’s time to get EVERYTHING ready.

Today didn’t go exactly as planned—we thought we’d be hauling potatoes again, but instead we spent the day digging equipment out of the cellar, hooking up the grain drill, and getting tractors ready to roll. With wheat planting just around the corner, every piece of equipment matters.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a normal day without a few problems… dead batteries, hydraulic issues, and a truck tire that absolutely refused to cooperate. We tried everything—jump packs, bead bazooka, ratchet straps… and eventually had to bring out the “big guns” just to get things moving again.

But that’s farm life—adapt, fix, and keep moving forward.

We’re getting close to go-time. Wheat seed is coming soon, and planting season is right around the corner