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The spotted drosophila can not only infest wine. Here you can find out how to recognize the small fruit flies and how to prevent and combat an infestation.
Symptoms: How to recognize a spotted wingworm infestation
The spotted drosophila affects all types of soft fruit, including grapes, cherries and blackberries. Given the choice, the fly clearly prefers raspberries and blueberries. In contrast to most native representatives of the vinegar fly, the cherry vinegar fly also infests he althy fruit and is therefore a dangerous pest. Symptoms caused by the spotted-wing drosophila can often only be seen when a larva has already hatched from the egg laid in the fruit. When the larva has eaten its fill, the fruit collapses and becomes mushy. The holes in which the spotted-wing drosophila lays its eggs are difficult to see with the naked eye. And who would want to eat a berry with larvae on the side?
Cherry vinegar flies can be effectively attracted with apple cider vinegar
If you already have infected plants, then all infected fruit must be destroyed. The fruits must not simply be put on the compost, because from there the flies can spread again. To be on the safe side, you should put the affected fruit in a plastic bag that is as transparent as possible and place it in the blazing sun for several days. The larvae are killed by the heat and the fruits can then be put on the compost.
Fighting spotted drosophila
It is not possible to control the spotted-wing drosophila directly after the fruit has been infested. This is because the fruit is infested when ripe and spraying just before the fruit is eaten would be irresponsible. The active substances in the spray do not have enough time to break down!