Outside of roaches and bed bugs, if you ask a person what insects they hate to see, they’ll likely say fruit flies. The pesky flying bugs can quickly overwhelm a kitchen and ruin fruit in agricultural fields. Luckily, a better flytrap may soon be available for farmers, thanks to some of Connecticut’s brightest minds.
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, the oldest operating agricultural research station in the United States, celebrated its 150th year in operation with a new breakthrough in the elimination of fruit flies. The CAES scientists reported in late February that they’ve found a set of chemicals that specifically draw a species of fruit fly without targeting other insects.
The fruit flies in question, spotted wing drosophila, are considered a serious pest that damages fruit growth, including strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and grapes. Scientists determined that three chemicals can draw those specific flies without drawing others.
“The identification of these specific attractants may significantly advance the development of targeted traps for SWD and save millions of dollars in the fruit industry,” Jason C. White, the director of CAES, said in a press release.
According to the University of North Carolina’s entomology department, spotted wing drosophila severely threatens small fruit industries, specifically the viability of berry production. It was estimated in the early 2010s that in just California, Washington and Oregon, the flies could cause hundreds of millions of agricultural losses every year.
CAES experts, including Hany Dweck, CAES Chemical Ecologist and the head of the Chemical Ecology Laboratory, said this breakthrough has a specific benefit for agricultural uses. It’s hoped that use of the repellants will enhance the ability of fly traps to target the most dangerous insects while letting harmless bugs remain. That’s expected to maximize the efficiency of fruit fly traps, especially if used to direct fruit flies away from specific crops.
“This innovative approach holds great promise for improving the management of spotted wing Drosophila infestations, ultimately protecting crops more effectively and sustainably,” Dweck said.
The CAES studies agricultural advances and improvements, with pest control a common topic for its studies. Among its other efforts, the experiment station has been working on a three-year program to better fight plant viruses using nanotechnology, and it has been directly fighting the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect species, since its discovery in Connecticut.
Similar to this breakthrough against fruit flies, the CAES was able in December to identify specific odors used by spotted lanternflies to navigate the state, useful ammunition to counter their spread.
“The continued work by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station to support farmers statewide pays off frequently,” said Sen. Rick Lopes, Senate Chair of the Environment Committee. “I commend the CAES and its hardworking staff for their commitment to helping our state’s farmers and agriculture industry.”
