Hummingbirds can reduce spotted wing drosophila (SWD) fruit infestation

Abstract

Spotted wing drosophila (SWD), an invasive insect from East Asia, was first detected in New York in fall 2011. In 2012, it caused severe damage to berry crops—raspberries, blackberries, blueberries—which are not usually protected with insecticide sprays close to harvest. In 2017, much of the Lake Ontario region’s tart cherry crop was rejected at the processor because of infested fruit. The sweet cherry crop is also at risk, as are elderberries, grapes, and other soft fruit.