THE BLUEBERRY MAGGOT: DISTRIBUTION, ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE, AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

The blueberry maggot, Rhagoletis mendax Curran, is a native North American insect and is primarily restricted to the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. In Canada, it has not been found in Newfoundland or west of the Maritime Provinces. Its native hosts are primarily the cultivated and wild lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), but it has occasionally been found in a few other species of berries. Although there are few natural enemies, biennial pruning by fire apparently contributes to the deterrence of rapid increases of local populations in lowbush blueberries. If necessary, it can easily be controlled with one or two sprays of organophosphate insecticides. Its presence can be detected readily with Pherocon AM traps, which are very attractive to the adults. These traps are presently being tested as monitoring devices to determine the need and timing for control treatments.