Update on the situation of Drosophila suzukii in France
The presence of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae - EPPO Alert List) in France was first reported in spring 2010 (EPPO RS 2010/11). Official surveys carried out in 2010 have confirmed the presence of the pest in the following regions on various fruit crops:
- Aquitaine (strawberry)
- Corse (apple, apricot, cherry, peach and nectarine, plum, strawberry)
- Languedoc-Roussillon (apple, cherry, grapevine, peach, plum, tomato, walnut)
- Midi-Pyrénées (cherry, kiwi, nectarine, plum)
- Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur (apricot, cherry, grapevine, peach, raspberry, strawberry, tomato)
- Rhône-Alpes (apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, raspberry, red currant, strawberry)
It is considered that D. suzukii probably occurs in a large part of Southern France, but for the moment it has mainly been caught around the Mediterranean Basin and the Rhône valley. Although unusual damage has been observed in numerous cases on cherry, strawberry, peach and apricot, it has not always been possible to confirm the identity of the pest by rearing larvae to the adult stage. Similarly to reports in other countries, observations made in France showed that D. suzukii is particularly attracted by small fruits (cherries and other berries). However, the pest has also been caught in significant numbers on peaches, apricots, plums and tomatoes and to a lesser extent on nectarines, apples, grapes and kiwis.
The situation of Drosophila suzukii in France can be described as follows: Present, first detected in spring 2010, it occurs in Aquitaine, Corse, Languedoc-Roussillon, Midi-Pyrénées, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, and Rhône-Alpes.
Sources
NPPO of France (2010-12).