<p>Minnesota berry crops are facing a harmful new pest: the Asia-native spotted wing Drosophila.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">The tiny fly was first detected in the state last summer and is currently threatening raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, grapes, cherries, and plums, according to Aberdeen News.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"It's somewhat of a silent infestation," said entomologist Mark Asplen of the University of Minnesota. "The flies lay their eggs inside the fruit, the eggs hatch and the larvae start feeding on the fruit from the inside. The fruit becomes this kind of mushy mass. There's no human health issue with this. It's more of a quality of the fruit issue."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Fall raspberries were hard last year. Some pick-your-own growers had a 50 percent loss and had to shut down, Asplen said.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">"Historically, most berry growers in Minnesota have not had to use any insecticides, particularly during the late-season harvests," said Bill Hutchinson, another University of Minnesota entomologist. "This pest could be a true game changer for the Minnesota berry industry."<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">A three-pronged strategy is suggested to fight back. Growers are instructed to dispose of overripe fruit, set up monitoring traps, and contact the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for details on how to control the pests with insecticides.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-primary col-lg-12" style="white-space: normal;" href="http://www.aberdeennews.com/farmforum/news/aan-ff-08-02-13-mnfruitflyprobl-20130802,0,3283540.story" target="_new">Fruit Fly Report </a></p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
