<p>Vern Grubinger, vegetable and berry specialist at the University of Vermont Extension, brings attention to the growing concern over a pest called the Spotted Wing Drosophia. "Last year it was pretty much all over the state but not everywhere," explains Grubinger, according to WCAX news. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/spotted_wing_drosophila_june_2013_BODY02.jpg" alt="Cropped Images June 04th 2013" />Experts say the pest is similar to a fruit fly however unlike that common nuisance; the Spotted Wing Drosophila penetrates ripening fruit in order to lay its eggs. With this reproduction pattern, the fly has the potential to wipe out entire crops. "No, it is not good news. It is not good news for anyone who likes fruit. We had our first serious encounter with it last year," said Jack Manix, owner of the Walker Farm in Dummerston. </p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Experts claim the best known plan of attack in order to defend crops is to pick the crop as soon as it ripens and head for refrigeration. "If you pick it you not only avoid the chance of an attack but also you are taking away a host where eggs can hatch and more adults can emerge down the road," Grubinger said.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">So that would be our first strategy -- to get the ripe fruit off the plants," added Manix. "The strategy would be exclusion, which we like better than spraying pesticides -- even organic pesticides. Getting some fine netting and possibly excluding the pest from the crop."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><img src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacyWriterImages/spotted_wing_drosophila_june_2013_BODY03.jpg" alt="Cropped Images June 04th 2013" /></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>Currently the University of Vermont Extension is working with farms to gather samples of the fly in order to conduct further studies. "Fruit growers have had all kinds of insects over the years and have learned how to manage them -- that is the trick here, that we come to understand this pest and what works," Grubinger said.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p><a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.wcax.com/story/22485724/invasive-fly-a-concern-for-vt-berry-crops" target="_new">WCAX News</a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
