Commonly known as spotted wing drosophila, Drosophila suzukii is the only species of drosophila capable of causing considerable damage to healthy fruits. Its main hosts are various fruits, especially small ones and with fine cuticles, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, Arbutus unedo berries, elderberries and cherries, and may also appear in grapes, figs, persimmons, kiwis, plums, peaches and apricots.

Infestation begins with the perforation of the fruit surface, where females of this species lay their eggs. The larvae that feed on the fruit pulp aggravate the process. A few days later, infested fruits may shrink or decompose. In addition to primary infection, secondary infections by fungi or bacteria accelerate destruction on a large scale, and all production can easily be lost.

The wide range of possible hosts is one of the difficulties in the fight against this species that came from Japan and arrived in Europe in 2008. Currently, the most efficient method to detect the presence of the pest at the site and to monitor its evolution is to capture adults using traps, similar to those used in mass capture described below.