Spotted wing Drosophila have been found from monitoring being done in Nova Scotia. The first female was identified from traps in an unmanaged highbush blueberry plot. If you have not already began trapping and plan to do so, you should be putting out traps as soon as possible.
The spotted wing Drosophilia is a critical pest because unlike most Drosophila species the spotted wing Drosophila infests ripe fruit, instead of rotting fruit. The fly causes damage by laying its egg in ripening fruit, where the larvae hatches and begins to feed. As the larvae feeds the fruit deteriorates rapidly, causing the fruit to become unmarketable. Because of this spotted wing Drosophila infestations can result in significant crop losses making monitoring and proper timing of controls crucial. The spotted wing Drosophila is a serious pest in many soft fruits, including: wild blueberries, highbush blueberries, strawberries (Day neutral and June bearing), raspberries, blackberries, cherries, peaches, plums, gooseberries, currants, grapes and a wide variety of wild and native fruits.
For more information on monitoring and control options please refer to Perennia's Raspberry Insect & Disease Management Schedule 2018 and factsheet on Monitoring for Spotted Wing Drosophila.