As a proud elderberry shrub owner, I know how annoying fruit flies can be As soon as your shrub starts producing those juicy berries, it seems like fruit flies descend from everywhere to feast! But there are ways to win the battle against these pesky insects and protect your plant
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore proven techniques to eliminate fruit flies and prevent future infestations on your American elderberry shrub.
Understanding Why Fruit Flies Attack Elderberry
To get rid of fruit flies effectively, you need to understand what attracts them in the first place. Here’s what you need to know:
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Fruit flies are strongly attracted to ripe, sugary fruit The berries on your American elderberry shrub are like candy to them!
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They lay eggs on the surface of ripe fruit. When the eggs hatch, the larvae burrow into the flesh of the berries to feed.
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Fruit flies multiply rapidly. A small infestation can quickly get out of hand.
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They not only damage your plant, but also invade your home seeking food sources.
Keeping these facts in mind will help you implement targeted solutions.
Effective Methods to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
Here are some of the most effective methods to eliminate fruit flies from your elderberry shrub:
Regular Harvesting
Pick ripe elderberries as soon as they are ready. Remove any spoiled or damaged berries immediately. This denies fruit flies food sources and breeding sites.
Pruning
Prune your shrub to get rid of infested branches and improve airflow. This makes the environment less hospitable to fruit flies.
Traps
Use traps like apple cider vinegar or wine in a jar to attract and drown flies. For best results, place traps near infested shrubs.
Neem Oil
Spray a neem oil solution on your plant, especially under leaves and on berries. The oil disrupts the fruit fly lifecycle.
Insect Netting
Cover your shrub with fine insect netting to create a physical barrier against fruit flies. Secure the edges carefully.
Natural Predators
Release beneficial insects like ladybugs, green lacewings or parasitoid wasps which feed on fruit flies.
Sanitation
Clean up fallen berries and debris around your elderberry regularly to eliminate breeding spots.
Preventing Future Infestations
Prevention is key to keep fruit flies from attacking your American elderberry shrub season after season. Here are some useful tips:
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Maintain a clean area around your shrub by regularly removing fallen berries, leaves and debris.
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Spread diatomaceous earth around the base of the plant as an organic barrier against flies.
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Use row covers or insect netting to keep flies off ripening elderberries.
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Rotate elderberry shrubs to different spots in your garden annually to interrupt fruit fly life cycles.
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Introduce plants that attract beneficial insects like hoverflies, lacewings, ladybugs, etc. These predators feed on fruit flies.
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Inspect plants frequently and act fast at the first signs of infestation before it spreads.
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Avoid overripe, damaged, or infected berries which attract fruit flies. Harvest elderberries on time.
With vigilance and a multi-pronged strategy, you can protect your American elderberry shrub from destructive fruit fly damage. Just remember to be patient and consistent in implementing control methods. Let us know in the comments if you have any other successful techniques for getting rid of fruit flies organically!
Pests & Problems
Spotted Wing Drosophila in Minnesota Updates Use this link to read the University of Minnesota and Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Entomologists Mark Asplen and Mark Abrahamson Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD) flies sighted in Minnesota fruit fields during the current year. SWD flies are invasive insect pests that can damage berry crops. Growers are urged to take action to manage the pests as soon as they are detected.
Management of Spotted Wing Drosophila using Organic Strategies, February 8, 2017Â
This is the second in a series of SWD webinars. Presenters and participants included: Ash Sial of the University of Georgia, Dalila Rendon & Vaughn Walton of Oregon State University, Mary Rogers of the University of Minnesota, and Matthew Grieshop, Philip Fanning & Harit Bal of Michigan State University.
Spotted wing drosophila management recommendations for Wisconsin raspberry growersChristelle Guédot, Department of Entomology, University of Wisconsin; (608) 262-0899; [email protected]
Spotted wing drosophila is a vinegar fly that was first detected in Racine County, Wisconsin in 2010 and in 2012 populations were confirmed in Bayfield, Washburn, Brown, Dane, Door, Fond du Lac, Marinette, Monroe, Pierce, Vernon, Winnebago, and Wood Counties. SWD prefers soft skinned fruit such as raspberry, blueberry, strawberry, cherry, and blackberry. In 2012, raspberry growers experienced severe crop losses due to SWD in Wisconsin. [Click here to continue reading, which includes several excellent pictures.]
Kombucha SWD Attract-and-Kill Trap Â
1 tablespoon yeast with 4 tablespoons sugar in 12 oz of (initially warm) water, using Red Star active dry yeast. At least 3 traps per acre around periphery for small plots as well as some in the middle. Hang off the ground in shady areas since the flies like cool, not hot or cold.Â
For organic control use Entrust/2oz with NuFilm for best results. Alternate with Pyganic. More details and specifics at the U of MN web sites.
U of Pennsylvania article on managing SWD:Â http://extension.psu.edu/publications/ee0045
U of MASS / Amherst article on managing SWD:Â https://extension.umass.edu/fruitadvisor/spotted-wing-drosophila/management
U of MASS / Amherst basic recommendations for SWD management:Â http://us2.campaign-archive2.com/?u=a79be8aeff868147564e71610&id=1b9422fa5d&e=628ad65294
Midwest Elderberry Cooperative Organic Feasibility Study, page 10, noted that âresearch in Oregon has noted that bagging fruit inside clear or black plastic bags contain(ing) adult flies, and placing these bags in the sun will kill SWD.â
2015-2016 comments: Terry Durham in Missouri recommends liberal use of Neem Oil for organic control of SWD. He sprays it on the leaves and the soil. Neem Oil provides other benefits to soil health as well.
Rove Beetles Eat Spotted Wing Drosophila Larvae http://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/scientist-has-sights-on-shooting-down-spotted-wing-drosophila/ âThey found that the rove beetle ate larvae, or immature flies, but not pupae â a more advanced developmental stage â of spotted wing drosophila, so more research is needed.”
Safe repellents that protect fruit from spotted wing Drosophila found, Jun 22, 2015
October 2013 Notes from Terry Durham on SWD/elderberry bud mite infestations:
- These Asian fruit flies have a 5 day lifecycle, which makes organic control difficult to use exclusively.
- They are infertile over 90 degrees F
- The larvae are difficult to observe in fresh fruit but come out on to container walls when berries are cooled.
- The larvae do not spoil the taste of the juice or fruit.
- The juicing process will eliminate any larvae if present in berries.
- Berry juice % varies from 50-80% by weight, thus onsite measurement is required for price adjustment as part of the quality assessment.
- For mite infestations, Terry recommends dormant oil sprayed on the leafless canes, covering the buds where the mites overwinter.
January 2017 MFVGA Conference Notes from Dan Moe on SWD netting:Â
NY blueberry grower Dale ila Riggs, The Berry Patch,
The netting provides 5 way protection.  Not only does it prevent SWD infestation, it also protects against birds, strong winds, heavy rain, and hail.  In 2014, the first year that I used it, it went through 3 severe thunderstorms and 2 hail storms with pea size hail and we had no problems with the netting. The per roll prices are listed below.  The more rolls you buy, the cheaper it is per roll.  The rolls are 328 feet long.
Roll size & prices: 1 roll, 2-5 rolls, 6-10 rolls, 11 rolls or more
- 6.5 â x 328â $268 $258/roll $247/roll $237/roll
- 13â x 328â $528 $508/roll $489/roll $469/roll
- 26 x 328â (custom sewn)  1 or 2 sheets is $1236 per panel; 3-5 sheets is $1198/panel;  more than 5 sheets is $1158/panel. Shipping is on top of the above charges.
Organic Control of Canadian ThistleSummer 2021 SARE Field Notes, Chris McGuire, organic apple grower
âThe key is that you have to kill the thistle shoots every three weeks repeatedly. They grow back, and then you kill them again three weeks later. We found than any method of killing the shoots is effective – cutting, pulling or spraying with an organic herbicideâ¦The short, three-week interval exhausts the plants and depletes their strength, gradually killing them.â
âThe McGuiresâ¦found that cutting the thistles with a gas-powered string trimmer and slicing them off with a diamond hoe were the most cost-effective techniques.”
Sawflies – Light colored ones like these seen on MN elderberry plants
Sawflies are a group of insects related to wasps and bees. Their name is derived from the saw-like ovipositor the adult female uses to lay eggs. Adult sawflies are inconspicuous wasp-like insects that do not sting. The larval or immature stage of sawflies are plant feeders and look like hairless caterpillars (the immature stage of butterflies and moths). The most distinguishing character between sawflies and caterpillars is the number of prolegs (fleshy, leg-like projections) on the abdomen. Caterpillars have 2-5 prolegs on the abdomen (Fig. 1), while sawflies have 6 or more. Sawflies often feed in groups and can quickly defoliate portions of their host plant. There are many different species of sawflies and each prefers specific plants or groups of related plants. Some of the more common sawflies that feed on trees and shrubs in Minnesota are described in this publication
Four-Lined Plant Bugs have been seen in Minnesota on elderberryâs new growth.
Four-lined plant bugs: Attractive with a big appetite
Fruit Tree Maintenance : Get Rid of Fruit Flies Permanently
FAQ
What to spray on plants for fruit flies?
How to get rid of fruit flies in trees?
Do elderberry bushes attract bugs?
Do elderberries get aphids?
Your plants may also run into issues with aphids. They may be treated with an insecticide or by spraying the plant forcefully with soapy water. The most common diseases to impact elderberries are cankers, rot, and leaf spot. Cankers must be trimmed out of the plant and ensure the infected wood is burned to avoid further spreading the disease.
How to keep fruit flies away from plants?
If space is at a premium, the leaves of these herbs can also be placed around the base of an affected plant or in a muslin bag nearby. Essential oils derived from any of the above-mentioned plants, as well as eucalyptus leaves and camphor trees are also a great way to keep fruit flies away from plants. They are put off by the smell and move away.
Do elderberry bushes need bird netting?
You may wish to apply bird netting over your elderberry bushes to increase your chances of a harvest. Your plants may also run into issues with aphids. They may be treated with an insecticide or by spraying the plant forcefully with soapy water. The most common diseases to impact elderberries are cankers, rot, and leaf spot.
How do you get rid of fruit flies?
In a small bowl or cup, mix together water with a couple drops of dish soap and a tablespoon or two of cider vinegar. The vinegar will attract the fruit flies, while the dish soap will break the surface tension on the liquid so they will fall in and drown in the water. You can also use the funnel and jar method to keep everything contained.