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CTV Winnipeg: Manitoba warns fruit growers about invasive pest

Fiona Odlum — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 19:02:01 +0000

Whether you own a farm or have a backyard berry patch, the province is warning fruit growers about a tiny pest causing massive problems: the spotted wing drosophila (SWD).

The SWD is an invasive fruit fly or vinegar fly that has found its way into Manitoba crops, specifically strawberries, Saskatoon berries, raspberries, sour cherries and cherry plums.

“Spotted wing drosophila has been with us in Manitoba for over 10 years now,” said Philip Ronald, who owns and operates Riverbend Orchards in Portage la Prairie, Man. “It’s something we’ve learned to live with.”

The pesky critter is an invasive species from East Asia. According to experts, this year’s warm winter and soggy spring and summer created ideal conditions for the SWD to populate. But unlike the average fruit fly, the SWD can do more damage by penetrating fruits before they ripen.

“These get in really early and so their larvae start developing inside the fruit before it’s time to harvest them,” said Jason Gibbs, an associate professor in the department of entomology at the University of Manitoba.

To read the full story, please visit CTV Winnipeg.

CTV Winnipeg: ‘Devastating’: Clear Lake watercraft ban will have an impact, business owners say

Fiona Odlum — Mon, 13 May 2024 20:03:27 +0000

Businesses in the Clear Lake area are concerned about the future following a temporary ban on watercraft from entering the lake.

Parks Canada announced on Thursday that all personal watercraft, including vessels like canoes and paddle boards, are not allowed in Clear Lake.

The ban is being put in place after zebra mussels were found in the lake last year.

Dameon Wall, the external relations manager at Riding Mountain National Park, said zebra mussels can have devastating effects on any body of water.

To read the full story about the zebra mussels, please visit CTV Winnipeg.

Winnipeg Free Press: Ticks that cause allergy to meat, dairy spotted in Manitoba

Fiona Odlum — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 18:02:16 +0000

A Winnipeg man is warning people to be on the lookout for a rare tick that can cause an allergy to red meat, after one was found embedded in his dog’s skin.

Dean Mason was surprised when a groomer discovered a lone star tick, distinguishable by a white dot on its back, on his miniature goldendoodle, Tika, on Aug. 29.

“She brought it to my attention because she had never seen a tick like that before, either,” said Mason. “You could tell right away it was different.”

Kateryn Rochon, an associate professor and acting head of the University of Manitoba’s entomology department, said the spike in reported discoveries in the province is likely to due people becoming more aware of lone star ticks and eTick.ca, rather than an expanding population.

“We don’t have these ticks reproducing here. The ones we find come from somewhere else,” she said. “We’re not expecting them to become established soon, because our conditions are not suitable. But, those conditions are changing.”

Read here