Measuring the response of Drosophila suzukii to Scentry^® traps baited with yeast and commercial lures

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) is a significant pest for blueberry growers in North Central Florida. In the United States, these pests are responsible for an estimated $1 billion dollars in economic losses annually, and if left un-managed, infestations can reduce a grower’s marketable fruit yield by as much as 80%. Monitoring for D. suzukii in the field is the first step to protecting blueberry production. Many pest managers deploy the Scentry® SWD Trap and Lure System to monitor for the arrival and abundance of D. suzukii in the field, however, this trap system captures too few D. suzukii and too many non-target drosophilids. Fruit-associated yeasts have been implicated as an essential factor for host fruit foraging and adding yeast to the Scentry® trap system may enhance trap capture. However, knowledge regarding the use of microbes as monitoring tools for D. suzukii is limited. In this study, we investigate the response of D. suzukii to Scentry® traps baited with commercial lures, Candida asparagi, and Hanseniaspora uvarum in the field and in the lab. We hypothesize that D. suzukii prefers the Scentry® traps system augmented with yeast in the field and in the lab. These findings inform our understanding of how yeast influence D. suzukii preferences and have the potential to improve monitoring tools for pest managers.