Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) has emerged as a problematic
pest for many soft-skinned fruits including blueberry. Due to extremely low tolerance for
infested fruit in the market, broad-spectrum insecticides are often used as the primary means to
control this pest. The risk of insecticide resistance development and other health and
environmental concerns associated with broad-spectrum insecticides call for more target-specific
and environmentally-friendly alternatives. Chemicals commonly known as insect growth
regulators such as juvenile hormone (JH) analogs, ecdysteroid agonists, and chitin synthesis
inhibitors may serve as an ideal alternative. My results showed that a JH analog, pyriproxyfen (1
to 100 ppm), and a chitin synthesis inhibitor, novaluron (0.01 to 10 ppm), effectively limited
development of larvae continuously exposed in medium; whereas an ecdysteroid agonist,
methoxyfenozide, was only effective at higher dosages (10 to 1000 ppm).
pest for many soft-skinned fruits including blueberry. Due to extremely low tolerance for
infested fruit in the market, broad-spectrum insecticides are often used as the primary means to
control this pest. The risk of insecticide resistance development and other health and
environmental concerns associated with broad-spectrum insecticides call for more target-specific
and environmentally-friendly alternatives. Chemicals commonly known as insect growth
regulators such as juvenile hormone (JH) analogs, ecdysteroid agonists, and chitin synthesis
inhibitors may serve as an ideal alternative. My results showed that a JH analog, pyriproxyfen (1
to 100 ppm), and a chitin synthesis inhibitor, novaluron (0.01 to 10 ppm), effectively limited
development of larvae continuously exposed in medium; whereas an ecdysteroid agonist,
methoxyfenozide, was only effective at higher dosages (10 to 1000 ppm).