Insect pests
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Written by: Ash Sial, Department of Entomology, University of Georgia Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii) is an invasive pest of soft skinned fruit in the United States and has been detected throughout the southeast. Infestations were observed in some blueberries. SWD damage is similar to blueberry maggot. Female flies lay their eggs in ripening and ripe…
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Written by: Emily Cabrera, UGA IPM Communications CoordinatorExpert/Source: Dr. Brett Blaauw, Assistant Professor & Peach Specialist, University of Georgia A new insect wreaking havoc in your cotton field? Troublesome disease in your peanut stand you don’t recognize? No idea where to start? Well, there’s an app for that. This year, farmers have a new tool…
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Written By: Emily Cabrera, IPM Communications CoordinatorExpert/Source: Dr. Brett Blaauw, Peach Entomologist With the onset of warmer, longer days, an array of pink blooms from peach, cherry, and plum trees break forth – the first signs of spring. And while most of us enjoy this seasonal shift, fruit tree growers prepare their orchards for the…
Posted in: Chemical control, Commercial, Cultural control, Homeowner, Insect pests, Monitoring, Peaches, Prevention -
Ash Sial1, James Jacobs2, Zack Williams3, and Renee Allen31Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, 2UGA Extension, Pierce County, and 3UGA Extension, Bacon County Although blueberry gall midge has historically been referred to as a rabbiteye problem, recently it has been reported to be a concern in some southern highbush fields. The majority of the highbush…
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Written By: Emily Cabrera, IPM Communications CoordinatorExpert/Source: Dr. Carmen Blubaugh, Allison Stawara, Christiana Huss, Jon Golan, Julia Berliner Organic farmers in the southeast may have struggled to find resources and support to help combat pests, but now University of Georgia Insect Ecology professor Dr. Carmen Blubaugh and her team is on the case researching ways…
Posted in: Beneficials, Biodiversity, Biological control, Cover crops, Cultural control, Insect pests, Organic, Research, Vegetables -
A new in-service training series is set to begin this fall that will provide Extension agents in the southeast with the latest information on integrated pest management within various commodity areas. Trainings will be led by specialists from the University of Georgia with invited speakers from institutions within the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium (SRSFC).…
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Written By: Ash Sial, University of Georgia Blueberry Entomologist The spotted wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is an invasive and economically important pest of many soft-skinned fruits such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, and other. Since its first detection in California in 2008, SWD spread rapidly across the United States. It…
Posted in: Blueberry, Chemical control, Commercial, Cultural control, Insect pests, Monitoring, Organic -
Written By: Jonathan Oliver, Fruit Pathologist Organic food sales topped $50 billion in the United States in 2018. Statistics from the Organic Trade Association tell part of the story of this growing market: Fruits, vegetables and other specialty crops combined to make up 36.3% of total organic sales up 5.6% from the previous year. Naturally,…
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Written by: Emily Cabrera, UGA IPM Communications CoordinatorExpert Source: Ash Sial, Blueberry Entomologist & UGA IPM Coordinator The University of Georgia has just been awarded a $5.4 million grant by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) to develop long-term sustainable methods for controlling…