Location: Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit
Project Number: 8010-22000-031-085-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2020
End Date: Sep 30, 2024
Objective:
1) Identify parasitic wasps that are natural enemies of spotted wing drosophila (SWD). 2) Survey the host plants in the native region of these natural enemies. and collect live, parasitized flies to obtain parasitoids. 3) Export these natural enemies as live material via shipment to , or hand carry by, US cooperators for further research.
Approach:
Field surveys will be conducted in Yunnan province during the field season (approx. April through October) each year to locate and collect spotted wing drosophila (=Drosophila suzukii, henceforth SWD); field surveys will collect fruit of known and potential host plants and utilize fruit-baited traps to obtain the fly parasitoids. All collected material will be returned to the laboratory and held until emergence of any natural enemies; specimens will be preserved for molecular and morphological identification. Laboratory colonies of SWD and its parasitoids will be established. Cooperator will assist ARS PI when travelling in China to locate suitable field sites and engage in field collections to obtain live material for export to the US.
