Are Invasive Spotted Wing Drosophila Affecting Eastern Songbird Diets?

Peyton Caylor*, Daniel P. Roche and Christopher M. Lituma, Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, 26505

Field (Broad Category): Wildlife and Fisheries Resources (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences) 

Student’s Major: Wildlife and Fisheries Resources 

Non-native invasive species can severely alter ecosystems and disrupt ecosystem processes. The Spotted Wing Drosophila (SWD), a fruit fly, is a non-native invasive species that originated from Asia and has become increasingly present in the United States, particularly in berry plants. Their populations have proliferated due to the females’ serrated ovipositors that cut into hard fruits, which is something other native fruit flies lack. It is unknown how the presence of this species and its abundance in songbird (Passeriformes) food sources, specifically berries, is affecting songbird diets. Three different samples were collected at the Allegheny National Forest, PA: berries to determine SWD prevalence within fruits; fly samples using passive traps (baited with yeast and sugar) to determine SWD distribution; and songbird fecal samples to determine songbird diets, including SWD. So far, the berry samples have been overrun with SWD. I expect the fly samples will yield a large percentage of SWD and the bird feces will contain minimal traces of seeds from berries. The predicted results would indicate the birds are being affected by the presence of SWD in the berries, and that SWD may pose a threat to fundamental ecological relationships. Further action may need to be taken to protect songbird food resources, and control techniques may be warranted to slow the spread of invasive SWD. 

Funding: United States Forest Service 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course