A Detailed Guide for Testing Fruit for the Presence of Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) Larvae

Amy J. Dreves, Adam Cave and Jana Lee
EM 9096 | Published October 2014, Reviewed 2023

Summary

This detailed guide illustrates how to test fruit for the presence of the Spotted Wing Drosophila larvae by crushing the fruit, immersing it into a salt or sugar solution, and examining the fruit debris for larvae and pupae.

About the authors

Adam Cave
Biological science technician
Jana Lee
Research entomologist
U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service

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