Packing House Survey of Washington Cherries for Surface Arthropods

International markets are concerned about possible quarantine pests in sweet cherries exported from the Pacific Northwest. To determine the incidence of surface arthropods on cherry fruits, fruit samples entering (presorted) and leaving (final pack) two packing houses in Washington state were collected weekly. Fruits were sampled from 63 grower lots and included 'Bing,' 'Lapin,' 'Lambert,' and 'Rainier' cultivars. In each of the 131 samples, 50 cherries were randomly examined, along with leaves (if present), and the bag containing the cherries. Samples were inspected under a microscope at 25×, and all live and dead arthropods were recorded. Among 3,600 presorted fruits inspected, the only live arthropods found were two predacious mites and six thrips. No codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), or cherry fruit fly, Rhagoletis indifferens Curran (Diptera: Tephritidae), larvae were observed. Among 1750 final pack fruits, the only live arthropod was an aphid. The survey demonstrated that very few live arthropods enter the packing house and that the remaining are eliminated by typical packinghouse operations. If typical, this information can be used to develop a comprehensive program for quarantine security.