Came across this recently and thought some here may be interested in following this project.
https://projects.sare.org/sare_project/fne24-074/
https://www.instagram.com/p/C4tIOFsrsGh/?igsh=MXVwZTU2cDRidWxpNg==
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Eh… im just gonna trap them. Free cups/water bottles/pop bottles and a choice of several baits… apple cider vinegar, some of my blackberry jelly and crush up some ripe fruits…mix with some water and a little dish soap and they cant help themselves.
Also im big into predators…and im an avid bug watcher…
Predators ambush and feed on SWD, removing a substantial portion of them from the production system by targeting larvae, pupae, adults or all three
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I constructed a variation for a 30’x30’ planting of blueberries. It’s built out of 2x4’s topped with spaced nails to keep horizontal netting stretched tight. It’s retractable with netting stored in place over winter.
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This concept has potential for frost protection as well, especially with an espalier setup.
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this might be a dumb question, but how does the netting keep the SWD out but let the pollinators in?
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SWD only shows up mid summer. just dont cover them up until then.
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I think possibly in time some wasps will get a foothold and help us out… im not sure how well they do against spraying and netting to get to their target…maybe there is hope… all these wasps want to do is lay their eggs in SWD larvae and eat them alive… in order to make more wasps. Then i guess we have to deal with baby wasps in our fruit…but maybe in time the sacrifice will be worth it and all will balance out.
After mating, female wasps lay their eggs on SWD larvae, and the broods that hatch eat the larvae alive before emerging as young adults. If successfully established, the wasp could help fruit growers dial back their insecticide use against SWD, reducing costs as well as environmental and human health concerns.
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