Hi Berry Growers, Many spotted wing drosophila (SWD) adults have been caught in traps over the past week. Current weather conditions of high humidity and showers favor buildup of SWD. If you intend to spray your raspberries and/or blueberries for SWD, spray now, even though rain showers will wash off insecticides. Adding a sticker such […]

This message was written by Mary Concklin at UConn, but the message is the same for RI small fruit growers: SWD have been found in traps in CT, RI and MA over the last few days. Numbers are very low so far but with the upcoming heat, populations are expected to take off. Be on […]

Hello fruit growers, Thursday’s twilight meeting is in Sutton, not at Foppema’s farmstand in Northbridge. See you there! Also, one apple grower reported a lot of gypsy moth caterpillars on his apple trees. Check your apples and blueberry bushes now for small, dark caterpillars. Since blossoms are open apply a Bt insecticide such as Dipel […]

May 2, 2018 winter moth update Winter moth eggs have finished hatching and I’ve been checking for winter moth caterpillars around Rhode Island. I’m finding very few caterpillars! Winter moths can be found throughout RI, but the only place I’ve seen winter moth caterpillars in high numbers is in abandoned apple orchards that haven’t been […]

April 19, 2018 So what is happening with winter moth eggs, besides driving me crazy? Winter moth eggs have been turning blue and then hatching very, very slowly since around April 4th. In some locations in RI and MA all eggs are still orange (so not ready to hatch) and in other areas 50% of […]

I expect winter moth eggs to start hatching this coming weekend. A few eggs have turned blue and hatched, but more than 95% of eggs are still orange – so not quite ready to hatch. With predicted warmer temperatures starting Friday I think most winter moth eggs will hatch between April 14-22. If you are […]

We’ve been blessed with cool weather – at least that’s the way I look at the last few weeks with regards to slowing down the growing season and winter moth egg hatch. I’ve heard from many people monitoring eggs and I monitor hundreds of eggs, and nearly all eggs are still orange – so not […]

Over the last decade, winter moth eggs started hatching anywhere from mid-March to mid-April, depending on temperature and other factors. I don’t expect eggs to hatch until after red maples start blooming and when McIntosh apple buds crack open and expose a little bit of green tissue. McIntosh buds at Green Tip.  Red maple trees […]