LAUSR

Wild host plants in the landscape surrounding fruit farms may significantly influence the movement and population of the polyphagous and invasive pest Drosophila suzukii. Across 2 years, we sampled wild hosts adjacent to 10 blueberry farms in Michigan, U.S.A. We found five commonly infested wild fruits. Honeysuckle was a particularly abundant early season reproductive host. Consequently, six blueberry farms with honeysuckle at the margin were evaluated further. At each farm, nonhost plants and honeysuckle were monitored for larval and adult D. suzukii. The season‐long abundance of D. suzukii adults and early‐season infestation was highest near and within honeysuckle. In 2017, we tracked the movement of D. suzukii between honeysuckle and blueberries in early and late season using a protein immunomarking technique. Of the 1881 flies captured in our study, 7.1% were marked and their distribution pattern was even throughout the farm. Moreover, early season flies were less likely to remain in the marked host compared with late season flies. The findings of the present study highlight the importance of wild hosts on local pest pressure from D. suzukii and suggest that wild host management should be considered as part of integrated strategies for reducing the economic impacts of this pest.