Exotic Pests

We found out the problem with the raspberries and it is not happy news. I took a specimen into the county Master Gardener program and spoke with the horticulturist that was there. He immediately figured out it is Spotted Wind Drosophila. This is a brand new problem in Oregon and he directed me to the Oregon Department of Agriculure webpage (http://oregon.gov/ODA/PLANT/IPPM/index.shtml) where it is front page news. It's a new fruit fly that attacts healthy, ripe fruit, unlike other fruit flies who only attack decaying fruit. There's not really any control for it. I'm glad I'm not a commercial grower. They are currently monitoring it and asking for specimens if it is found so my raspberries got sent to the state. Guess we'll just have to see what happens next year.