Spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii Matsumura, a native of eastern and southeastern Asia, is a pest of small and stone fruits. First detected in California in 2008, the insect is now found across the Pacific Coast states. Its penchant for attacking healthy, ripening fruit (as opposed to overripe and rotting fruit favored by other so-called "vinegar flies") makes it a potential economic threat to a host of soft-and thin-skinned fruit crops including cherry, raspberry, blackberry, blueberry, strawberry, peach, plums, pluots, nectarines, juice grape, table grape, and wine grape. Coordinated research projects to determine host preference, seasonal phenology, biology, and management options are taking place among entomologists in Washington, Oregon, and California. A description of the pest and initial findings on its biology, life history, known and expected geographic range, management and monitoring techniques, and economic considerations are presented and discussed.

The results suggest that fruits may become susceptible to D. suzukii as they start to turn color, and that specific varieties of grapes and overripe blueberries have low susceptibility to D. suzukii.

In August 2008, the first detection of the spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii, to the North America mainland in California caused great concern, as the fly was found infesting a variety of commercial fruits. Subsequent detections followed in Oregon, Washington, Florida and British Columbia in 2009; in Utah, North Carolina, South Carolina, Michigan, and Louisiana in 2010; and in Virginia, Montana, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Mexico in 2011. In Europe, it has been detected in Italy and Spain in 2009 and in France in 2010. Economic costs to the grower from D. suzukii include the increased cost of production (increased labor and materials for chemical inputs, monitoring and other management tools) and crop loss. An effective response to the invasion of D. suzukii requires proper taxonomic identification at the initial phase, understanding basic biology and phenology, developing management tools, transferring information and technology quickly to user groups, and evaluating the impact of the research and extension program on an economic, social, and environmental level. As D. suzukii continues to expand its range, steps must be initiated in each new region to educate and inform the public as well as formulate management tactics suitable for the crops and growing conditions in each.

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