New strawberry pest - I think I have these :(

[Penellype]

Was pulling the stalks off some strawberries this afternoon when I noticed a small brownish maggot emerging from a hole in one of the fruit. Closer inspection revealed a few other strawberries with small holes in. I think this might be drosophila suzukii (an asian fruit fly) which has recently appeared in the UK.

Leicester University are appealing for information from the public about the distribution of this pest:
Scientists seek help from public to tackle invasion of new strawberry fields pest — University of Leicester - this is a link from 2013 so they may not still be doing it.

The really bad news is it eats blueberries too, and mine are right next to the strawberries

[craftymarie]

That is bad news, Penellype. I will have to give my strawberries a check over as still got quite a lot left.

[Nicos]

Oh no.
Never heard of them before.
I've just been looking at pictures of the damage they can cause

What with the lack of bees to pollinate and now this.....doesn't bode well does it?

Is there anything you can do to control it?

[Penellype]

Not that I know of. The research at Leicester Uni was based on trying to breed males that would produce sterile eggs, which therefore would reduce or eliminate the flies. I have no idea if they succeeded or if the work is still ongoing.

[Nicos]

No doubt they are already over here....must keep my eyes peeled....
Let's hope there is something they can do to curb them.

[Snoop Puss]

Sorry to hear this. These kinds of infestations are really bad news.

[Jungle Jane]

You can try trapping the adults in a glass of vinegar mixed with wine & a funnel for them to get in but they won't get out? Sounds mean but it depends if you want them to breed into more flies,I can't imagine anyone wanting these pests around. Peppermint oil as a repellent might be worth spraying on a few leaves? If all they smell is peppermint maybe they'l fly by? It might be worth having a few pots of herbs around the strawberries?
Plant essential oils and potassium metabisulfite as repellents for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). - PubMed - NCBI
Have you noticed any fruits with these white breathing tubes sticking out,might need a magnify glass but it would be good to know which fruits are affected without having to thinly slice every bit.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFile...by%20SWD_2.pdf

[lottie dolly]

Oh my word,something else to lookout for,thanks for the heads up.

[Penellype]

You can try trapping the adults in a glass of vinegar mixed with wine & a funnel for them to get in but they won't get out? Sounds mean but it depends if you want them to breed into more flies,I can't imagine anyone wanting these pests around. Peppermint oil as a repellent might be worth spraying on a few leaves? If all they smell is peppermint maybe they'l fly by? It might be worth having a few pots of herbs around the strawberries?
Plant essential oils and potassium metabisulfite as repellents for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). - PubMed - NCBI
Have you noticed any fruits with these white breathing tubes sticking out,might need a magnify glass but it would be good to know which fruits are affected without having to thinly slice every bit.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFile...by%20SWD_2.pdf

I haven't seen these, but I haven't really been looking for them. What I found was:

2 small (1mm long) greyish coloured maggots emerging from the fruit.
Slight damage mostly at the stalk end of the fruit.
Very small holes leading into several fruit, consistent with the size of the maggots.

I haven't seen any mould, but I am picking the fruits as they ripen. It could be something else, but I can't find any other pest that eats strawberries that would fit the description.

[Jungle Jane]

It sounds like it is them because they have a serrated ovipositor that can pierce healthy fruit,rather than other fruit flies that can only get through rotten fruit?

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I have a new "Strawberry Pest" too,

It's called my "Gardening Buddy" who due to ill health, said he was not gunna be doing anything on the allotment this year!

Cheeky Begger only went down there yesterday afternoon n harvested the entire bloody crop!

Now I am not gunna fall out with anybody over a few strawberries! But ya could have at least left me a few!

Time to change the lock!

Sorry! Should this have been posted on the "Minor Rant" thread? Apologies if so!

[Penellype]

Must be annoying - I agree he could have left some for you!

[w33blegurl]

Ho hum...wondering if this is what has been at my strawberries....quite a few had tunnels through them this year, never seen maggots in ripe strawberries before, had o throw away quite a few. Equally lots of mine got damaged by the rain and bad hail we got so it could be normal fruit flies getting in through bruised bits on the fruit. might try a few of the suggestions above next year to see if I can stem the damage!!