First record of Drosophila suzukii in France
In France, Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae - EPPO Alert List) was identified for the first time in June 2010. The pest was found on cherry in Corse and on strawberry in Var and Alpes-Maritimes. In Corse, significant damage was observed on cherry, and it is suspected that D. suzukii might also be present on peach and apricot. Observations made by the growers suggested that the pest may have been present during the last 2 years. A monitoring programme has been initiated to delimit the extent of the infestation and investigations are being made to determine possible control measures against D. suzukii. As prophylactic measures, growers have been recommended to carefully eliminate fruit residues after harvest and destroy all fallen fruit.
The situation of Drosophila suzukii in France can be described as follows: Present, first identified in June 2010 on cherries and strawberries in Southern France (Alpes-Maritimes, Corse, Var).
Sources
NPPO of France (2010-06).