First record of blueberry maggot in Lac Saint-Jean, Quebec

Abstract

Up to 2017, the Lac Saint-Jean region (Quebec, Canada) produced lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) without insecticide treatments. In 2018, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency detected adults of the blueberry maggot (Rhagoletis mendax Tephritidae) in the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Maria-Chapdelaine. Monitoring programs adults and larvae conducted in 2019, 2020 and 2021 confirmed the establishment of R. mendax of RCM of Maria-Chapdelaine, as well as in the RCM Domaine-du-Roy. In compliance to the Directive D-02-04 of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, blueberry growers of infested areas of Lac Saint-Jean that ship blueberries to non-infested areas must implement an integrated pest management program with insecticides, or a calendar spray program.