To protect the commercial fruit industry in the South Okanagan and Similkameen, the RDOS has had a bylaw in place, Bylaw 2070, since 2001, to ensure better control of fruit tree pests in Areas A,B,C,D,E,F,G and the Town of Oliver.

All cherry tree owners are responsible for controlling pests such as the Western Cherry Fruit Fly and Spotted Wing Drosophila on their properties to prevent them from severely affecting nearby neighbours and professional cherry growers.

Complete control of Western Cherry Fruit Fly using sprays can be difficult and ineffective for non-commercial growers. Therefore, cherry tree owners should control these flies using other acceptable control methods.

Acceptable pest control methods are available on the Ministry of Agriculture website at http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/tfipm/fruitfly.htm Western Cherry Fruit Fly or
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/swd.htm Spotted Wing Drosophila

Because of the prevalence and very serious economic impact of the Western Cherry Fruit Fly and Spotted Wing Drosophila, the RDOS asks that all cherry tree owners with infected trees do at least the following:

1. Strip trees of all cherries as soon as they are ripe.
2. Ensure no cherries are left on the ground.
3. Prune hard-to-pick branches to a manageable height.

Removal of all cherries will ensure that the Western Cherry Fruit Fly maggots contained within the cherries are removed before they can burrow out and fall to the ground. This will prevent them from maturing to hatch as adult fruit flies the next year.

Inform RDOS Pest Control staff of cherry trees that aren’t being properly cared for, or are infected, please call Public Works Projects Coordinator, Zoë Kirk at (250) 490-4110 or toll free 1-877-610-3737.
contact Zoe Kirk, at (250)- 490-4110 or email: zkirk@rdos.bc.ca