D3465: Assessing the efficacy of Ganaspis brasiliensis as a biocontrol agent for Drosophila suzukii in North Carolina

Drosophila suzukii, a small vinegar fly with the potential to damage many fruit crops, especially thin-skinned fruit, is native to eastern Asia. Most species of vinegar flies attack overripe or damaged fruit, lessening the impact on growers/sellers. However, D. suzukii is unique as the female can lay eggs in healthy fruit using a large, serrated ovipositor with two rows of teeth. Once the eggs hatch and the larvae move around inside eating, the fruit becomes soft and unmarketable. Detection of a single larva in the fruit can cause the rejection of an entire shipment, leading to high financial risk for farmers of impacted crops.

Ganaspis brasiliensis is a solitary larval parasitoid of D. suzukii found in overlapping ranges in east Asia. In 2021 G.brasiliensis was approved for release by the USDA, as initial research determined it to be an effective and host-specific biological control agent for D. suzukii.

We are in our second season of performing standardized releases and intensively monitoring release sites to determine establishment, seasonal phenology, and parasitism levels in both crop and non-crop habitats. Select findings of this ongoing project will be presented and discussed.