Drosophila suzukiibiology, courtship and oviposition

Bev Gerdeman, Lynell Tanigoshi and Hollis SpitlerWashington State University

Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center

Photos by B. S. Gerdeman

First described from Japan 1916World distribution of Drosophila suzukii as of April 2010

Diverse host range:

Asian PearsAsian PlumsBlackberriesBlueberriesBoysenberriesCherriesCold Hardy KiwisElderberryFigs

GrapesItalian PrunesNectarinesPeachesPersimmonsPlumcotsSatyma PlumsRaspberriesStrawberries

Potentially explosive dispersal

Established in Hawaii since at least 1980.

Adult activity highest at 680 and declines above 860.

In Japan:•13 generations/year•Life cycle 8-9 days•Adult lifespan 3-9 weeks•Females lay 7-16 eggs/day•Active from April - November

Overwinter as adults in protected areas.

Life Cycle of the Spotted Wing DrosophilaDrosophila suzukii (Matsumura)

Eggs 12-72 hours350+ eggs in a lifetime

three larval instars5-7 days

Pupation 4-15 daysInside or outside of fruit

Adults20-30 days

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Why is SWD so destructive?

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Non-suzukii species ovipositor D. suzukii highly sclerotized ovipositor adapted for cutting.

SWD egg

Micropyle(sperm entry

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Respiratory filaments (one broken)

Respiratory filaments

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Egg left on surface of berry

Eggs laid below surface of berry

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Egg deposited inblackberry drupelet

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SWD egg

blueberry calyx

female SWD

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Spiracles for breathing

Anteriormouthparts

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3rd instar larva relative to blueberry size

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spiracles

red eyes developing

Wing pads

caudal spiracles

SWD Pupae

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Adult eclosion

Male sex combs

Tarsus I

Female lacks sex combs

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Spotted wing drosophila have sponging mouthparts.

haustellum

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Female SWD filled with berry juice

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SWD opportunistic

The eyes make up over 50% of the spotted wing drosophila’s headthus visual cues are important

particularly for mating

compound eyes

3 ocellisimple eyes

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SWD courtship

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Courtship dancemale SWD

tail wagging

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Male wing vibrations produce

a species specific song

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Front legs help the male climb onto the female

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SWD male aedeagus

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Copulation lasts for several minutes

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Female SWD beginning oviposition in a blueberry

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Ovipositor is fully inserted in berry and egg is deposited

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Female beginning oviposition in strawberry

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Final stage of ovipositionfilaments pulling out of oviduct

ovipositor

filaments

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THE FRUIT FLY FIGHT CLUB: A MODEL SYSTEM FOR THE STUDY OF AGGRhttp://www.hms.harvard.edu/bss/neuro/kravitz/movie/flymoviewithmusic.mov

Drosophila Research Labs on the Webhttp://www.ceolas.org/VL/fly/labs.html

FlyBasehttp://flybase.org/static_pages/imagebrowser/imagebrowser10.html

Fly move http://flymove.uni-muenster.de/Homepage.html

The interactive Fly http://www.sdbonline.org/fly/aimain/1aahome.htm

Fly Websites of Interest