The Protein Paradox: Elucidating the Complex Nutritional Ecology of the Invasive Berry Pest, Spotted-Wing Drosophila (Diptera: Drosophila suzukii)

Spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii , has become one of the most widely studied insect species over last decade, largely due to its recent invasion and rapid expansion across Americas Europe. Unlike other drosophilid species, which colonize rotting fruit, SWD females possess a serrated ovipositor that allows them lay eggs in intact ripening causing significant economic problems for fruit/berry producers worldwide. Though an impressive amount research been conducted on SWD's ecology physiology, aspects their nutritional remain ambiguous. This review synthesizes date provide more comprehensive view relationship with fruit hosts associated microbes. Overall, data suggest ability utilize novel resources is likely changes ecological, rather than physiological, niche are mediated by microbial associations. Studies show nutrient intake comparable indicating limited adaptation feeding lower-protein resources. Instead, protein content reliable predictor host suitability fruit-microbe dynamics have strong impact availability. In particularly, increases after infestation SWD-associated microbes, suggesting initially-suboptimal fruits can protein-rich timeframe relevant larval nutrition. body work suggests associations between flies compensate differences these relationships responsible expanded niche.