What insect netting excludes spotted-wing drosophila (SWD)?

Cornell’s SWD exclusion blog: looser weaves are lighter and allow more air through, but the space between fibers allow smaller insects to pass through. In field trials 60 gram netting (mesh size 1.95 x 0.95 mm) did not exclude SWD. 80 gram netting (mesh size 1.0 x 0.6 mm) has repeatedly excluded SWD over several production seasons. UGA Extension B-1497: the netting needs to be rated at 80 grams or more to keep flies out; 80-gram insect netting on the side walls and ends of tunnels provided a physical barrier to SWD without affecting fruit marketability. Seller “40 Mesh” or “0.8 mm–1 mm” claims on Amazon titles are seller claims — this page does not equate them to Cornell 80-gram. Bootstrap Farmer’s 0.40 mm × 0.25 mm / 120 gsm sidewall netting is a vendor specification, not a Cornell field-trial rating.

When should exclusion netting go on the tunnel?

UGA B-1497: netting needs to be installed before SWD becomes active. Cornell’s raspberry high-tunnel note applied netting to the tunnel sides and ends. Alabama ANR-1432 describes insect screens with a low mesh size (large openings) plus screen doors at the entrances while side walls are open during the day, and making a high tunnel into a net house with low-cost insect netting or shade cloth. Those are different jobs — low-mesh screens for medium- and large-sized insects, versus Cornell/UGA 80-gram for SWD.

Will insect netting overheat a high tunnel?

Both land-grant pages warn about heat. Cornell: results with raspberries in a high tunnel with netting on the sides and ends show promise – with the caveat for growers to increase the height of sidewalls, use fans and possibly shade cloth to prevent excess heat. UGA B-1497: in warmer climates, using exclusion netting may result in overheating, negatively affecting plant health and fruit quality; venting systems may be required to avoid this. Fan ASINs stay on the ventilation page. Shade-cloth ASINs stay on the shade-cloth page.

Can shade cloth replace 80-gram insect netting?

For large moths, Alabama / Southern SARE HTPE treats 30–50% shade cloth as an exclusion fabric: it can exclude large moths (≥1.2 in wingspan); leaffooted bug adults were stopped by 40 or 50% shade cloth but not by 30%. That is not Cornell 80-gram SWD exclusion. Shade-cloth featured prices stay on the shade-cloth page — this page does not re-price those ASINs. The March 2015 HTPE bulletin authors printed dated cost figures of under $420 (40%) and under $250 (30%); those are 2015 author figures, not a 2026 Amazon price.

Does EQIP pay for insect netting?

Tunnel Spec does not invent eligibility or dollars. The High Tunnel System Initiative FAQ says financial assistance is provided only for the structure itself, and that electricity, venting systems, lighting, etc. can be installed if they meet manufacturer designs — the grower is responsible for those costs. The Pennsylvania seasonal high tunnel page says producers can install heating, ventilation, or electrical systems at their own expense. NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 325 says the practice does not include greenhouses or low tunnel systems. The same standard’s considerations say: consider additional conservation practices where appropriate to include crop rotation, irrigation water management, salinity management, nutrient management, integrated pest management, critical area planting, mulching, roof runoff structure, diversion, underground outlets, heavy use protection, and cover crop. That is a consideration list, not a netting payment. Confirm insect-netting eligibility with your NRCS district conservationist. See what EQIP will not pay for.

Insect netting · sidewall exclusion · not a kit

High-tunnel insect netting: sidewall exclusion mesh, 80-gram SWD netting, zipper end walls (Amazon, sourced)

Growers search high-tunnel insect netting, exclusion mesh, SWD netting, and sidewall insect screen after the film is on. This page is the sidewall-and-end exclusion sibling — Cornell and UGA 80-gram spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) language, Alabama screens and HTPE shade-cloth exclusion, roll-up attachment, a zipper end-wall door, and live Amazon featured rolls. Shade-cloth cooling stays on high-tunnel shade cloth. Cut-flower 6-inch mesh on high-tunnel cut flowers is support netting, not insect exclusion. It is not a commercially manufactured high-tunnel kit and not a USDA payment schedule.

Extension quotes copied 13 October 2026, about 03:15 UTC from Cornell SWD exclusion, UGA B-1497, Alabama ANR-1432, and Alabama / Southern SARE HTPE. Featured Amazon prices copied the same night. A missing featured price stays an em dash. Ratings are not copied. Seller “40 Mesh” or “0.8 mm–1 mm” claims on Amazon titles are seller claims — this page does not equate them to Cornell 80-gram (1.0 × 0.6 mm). EQIP language below is the structure-only and producer-expense wording already on what EQIP will not pay for. No USDA payment dollar is invented here. Confirm insect netting with your NRCS district conservationist.

Kit index: commercially manufactured kits. Replacement-parts directory: high-tunnel replacement parts. Size map: high-tunnel sizes. Roll-up sides: high-tunnel roll-up sides. Wiggle wire: high-tunnel wiggle wire. Shade cloth: high-tunnel shade cloth. End walls: high-tunnel end walls. Ventilation: high-tunnel ventilation fans. County inspection: EQIP checklist.

Figure: schematic hoop with sidewall exclusion mesh and a zipper end-wall door. Not a product photo.

Cornell 60-gram vs 80-gram, and UGA 80-gram on sides and ends

Spotted-wing drosophila is a small fly. The land-grant pages that name a gram rating for SWD exclusion use 80-gram netting on the sidewalls and ends — not a seller “mesh” number on an Amazon title. 60-gram failed in Cornell field trials. 70-gram was not field-tested on that blog.

Source	What it said about exclusion mesh
Cornell SWD	60 gram (1.95 × 0.95 mm) did not exclude SWD. 80 gram (1.0 × 0.6 mm) repeatedly excluded SWD. 70 gram not field-tested.
UGA B-1497	Rated 80 grams or more. 80-gram on side walls and ends. Install before SWD becomes active.
Alabama ANR-1432	Low mesh size (large openings) plus screen doors for medium- and large-sized insects. Net house from low-cost insect netting or shade cloth.
Alabama / SARE HTPE	30–50% shade cloth can exclude large moths (≥1.2 in wingspan). Leaffooted adults: 40 or 50%, not 30%.

Looser weaves are lighter and allow more air through, but the space between fibers allow smaller insects to pass through. In field trials 60 gram netting (mesh size 1.95 x 0.95 mm) did not exclude SWD. 80 gram netting (mesh size 1.0 x 0.6 mm) has repeatedly excluded SWD over several production seasons.
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension — Thinking Exclusion (spotted-wing drosophila blog, 27 March 2020).

Some manufacturers are selling 70 gram netting for SWD exclusion, however, none of the Cornell studies tested 70 gram netting in the field.
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension — Thinking Exclusion (spotted-wing drosophila blog, 27 March 2020).

The netting needs to be rated at 80 grams or more to keep flies out. Our studies showed that adding 80-gram insect netting to tunnel infrastructure (on the side walls and ends of tunnels) provides a physical barrier to SWD without affecting fruit marketability.
Source: University of Georgia Extension B-1497 — Managing Spotted-Wing Drosophila in Blueberries (reviewed April 2023; PDF opened 13 October 2026).

Netting needs to be installed before SWD becomes active…
Source: University of Georgia Extension B-1497 — Managing Spotted-Wing Drosophila in Blueberries (reviewed April 2023; PDF opened 13 October 2026).

Insect screens with a low mesh size (large openings) can be installed, along with screen doors at the entrances to prevent medium- and large-sized insects from entering the structure while the side walls are open during the day, without reducing air movement inside the crop canopy. High tunnel structures can also be made into a net house (figure 2) using low-cost insect netting or shade cloth.
Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension ANR-1432 — Pest Management in High Tunnel Crop Production (revised January 2022). Low-mesh screens are a different job from Cornell 80-gram SWD exclusion.

HTPE shade cloth is large-moth exclusion, not Cornell 80-gram

Alabama / Southern SARE High Tunnel Pest Exclusion uses 30–50% shade cloth as a sidewall fabric for large moths. That is not SWD 80-gram netting. Featured shade ASINs stay on high-tunnel shade cloth — this page does not re-price them.

30–50% shade cloth HTPE can exclude large moths (≥1.2 in wingspan). Leaffooted bug adults were stopped by 40 or 50% shade cloth but not by 30%.
Source: Alabama Cooperative Extension / Southern SARE — High Tunnel Pest Exclusion (HTPE) System (March 2015).

The March 2015 HTPE bulletin authors printed dated cost figures of under $420 (40% shade) and under $250 (30% shade). Those are 2015 author figures on that PDF — not a 2026 Amazon price and not an EQIP payment.

Attachment under roll-up sides, with spring wire and lock channel

Cornell applied netting to the tunnel sides and ends. Kit roll-up inclusion stays on high-tunnel roll-up sides. Lock-channel and spring-wire featured prices stay on high-tunnel wiggle wire — this page does not re-price those ASINs. Bootstrap Farmer’s sidewall insect-netting page says the fabric is pre-measured for roll-up sides and attaches with spring wire and lock channel.

Bootstrap Farmer sidewall insect netting (manufacturer, not Amazon)

Live Shopify JSON 13 October 2026, about 03:15 UTC. Vendor spec on that page: mesh holes 0.40 mm × 0.25 mm; 120 gsm; 2-year warranty. That is a vendor specification — not a Cornell 80-gram field-trial rating. Kit frames stay on manufacturer product pages. No Awin tag is wired for this accessory SKU.

Vendor / SKU	Displayed configuration	USD
Bootstrap Farmer — Sidewall Insect NettingManufacturer page. Vendor spec: mesh holes 0.40 mm × 0.25 mm; 120 gsm; pre-measured for roll-up sides; attaches with spring wire and lock channel; 2-year warranty. Vendor spec — not a Cornell 80-gram field-trial rating. Not an Amazon row. Not a kit.	Shopify JSON 6.5′ × 65′	$154.99
Bootstrap Farmer — Sidewall Insect NettingManufacturer page. Same vendor mesh / 120 gsm / 2-year-warranty copy as the 65′ roll. Vendor spec — not Cornell 80-gram. Not an Amazon row. Not a kit.	Shopify JSON 6.5′ × 105′	$249.99
Bootstrap Farmer — Sidewall Insect NettingManufacturer page. Same vendor mesh / 120 gsm / 2-year-warranty copy as the 65′ roll. Vendor spec — not Cornell 80-gram. Not an Amazon row. Not a kit.	Shopify JSON 6.5′ × 170′	$329.99

Source: Bootstrap Farmer — Sidewall Insect Netting (Shopify product JSON, opened 13 October 2026). Spring-wire piece counts printed on that same manufacturer page:

House length	Spring-wire pieces (vendor table)
20′	17
40′	32
60′	44
80′	56
100′	68

Sourced Amazon insect-netting parts

Titles and featured one-time prices were copied from live amazon.com product pages 13 October 2026, about 03:15 UTC. Kit frames stay on manufacturer product pages. Seller mesh or millimeter claims stay labeled as seller claims. Shade and wiggle ASINs stay on those pages.

Amazon Associate disclosure. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Kind	Pack	Listing	ASIN	USD
Sidewall roll	6′ × 50′	Farm Plastic Supply 40 Mesh Insect Netting, 6' x 50'Title states “40 Mesh.” That is a seller mesh claim on the Amazon title — not a Cornell 80-gram (1.0 × 0.6 mm) field-trial rating. Pack size only.	B0DHSW4LKB	$72.99
Sidewall roll	5′ × 100′	Roll Packed Fine Mesh Insect Barrier Netting, 5 x 100 ftListing copy states a seller 0.8 mm–1 mm mesh claim. Seller millimeter claims are not Cornell 80-gram. Pack size only.	B01HYRLCQM	$45.20
Sidewall roll	8′ × 100′	Roll Packed Fine Mesh Insect Barrier Netting, 8 x 100 ftSame seller 0.8 mm–1 mm mesh claim as the 5×100 sibling. Seller claim — not Cornell 80-gram. Pack size only.	B01HYRLUKA	$56.40
Sidewall roll	10′ × 100′	Roll Packed Fine Mesh Insect Barrier Netting, 10 x 100 ftSame seller 0.8 mm–1 mm mesh claim as the 5×100 and 8×100 siblings. Seller claim — not Cornell 80-gram. Pack size only.	B01G79PNCW	$66.40
Garden panel	15′ × 50′	Yoojahow Garden Mesh Netting, 15 x 50 ftGarden-mesh panel. Title does not print a Cornell gram rating. Pack size only — not a house takeoff.	B0GF1KRW2P	$41.99
Garden panel	25′ × 50′	Fine Mesh Insect Netting, 25 x 50 ftListing copy states a seller 0.8 mm–1 mm mesh claim. Seller claim — not Cornell 80-gram. Pack size only.	B0H4PZW5V3	$108.90
Garden panel	16′ × 20′	Agfabric Insect Pest Barrier, 16' x 20'Titled insect pest barrier. Pack size only. Not a Cornell 80-gram rating and not a 30×96 sidewall takeoff.	B01HZ5YOA4	$40.99
End-wall zipper	6 ft zipper	DL Wholesale 6 ft Peel-and-Stick Tarp Zipper DoorPeel-and-stick tarp zipper for a film or net end. Accessory for an end-wall door — not insect mesh and not a kit door.	B00578YXN0	$14.15

Zipper end-wall door

Cornell and UGA put netting on the ends as well as the sides. Alabama ANR-1432 names screen doors at the entrances. Kit end-wall inclusion — steel door, zipper add-on, brackets, or left open — stays on high-tunnel end walls. DL Wholesale 6 ft peel-and-stick tarp zipper (B00578YXN0, $14.15) is an accessory for cutting a door in film or net. It is not a kit door and not insect mesh.

Heat and ventilation caveat

Fine mesh cuts airflow. Both Cornell and UGA warn about excess heat when netting closes the sides and ends. Fan ASINs stay on high-tunnel ventilation fans. Shade-cloth cooling stays on high-tunnel shade cloth.

Results with raspberries in a high tunnel with netting applied to the tunnel sides and ends show promise – with the caveat for growers to increase the height of sidewalls, use fans and possibly shade cloth to prevent excess heat.
Source: Cornell Cooperative Extension — Thinking Exclusion (spotted-wing drosophila blog, 27 March 2020).

In warmer climates, using exclusion netting may result in overheating, negatively affecting plant health and fruit quality. Venting systems may be required to avoid this.
Source: University of Georgia Extension B-1497 — Managing Spotted-Wing Drosophila in Blueberries (reviewed April 2023; PDF opened 13 October 2026).

EQIP pays for the structure, not the netting

Practice Standard 325 High Tunnel System language on electricity, venting, and complementary practices is already collected on what EQIP will not pay for. Insect-netting eligibility and any payment dollar stay with the county. Confirm with your NRCS district conservationist. Tunnel Spec does not invent either.

Under the High Tunnel System Initiative, financial assistance is provided only for the structure itself. Electricity, venting systems, lighting, etc. can be installed providing the additions meets manufacturer’s designs and specifications. However, the grower is responsible for those costs.
Source: USDA NRCS High Tunnel System Initiative FAQ (Updated November 2024; Oregon-branded).

Producers can install heating, ventilation, or electrical systems at their own expense.
Source: USDA NRCS Pennsylvania — Seasonal High Tunnel System for Crops. One state office page, not a national netting payment.

The practice does not include greenhouses or low tunnel systems.
Source: NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 325 High Tunnel System.

Consider additional conservation practices where appropriate to include: crop rotation; irrigation water management; salinity management; nutrient management; integrated pest management; critical area planting; mulching; roof runoff structure; diversion; underground outlets; heavy use protection; cover crop.
Source: NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 325 High Tunnel System. Considerations list — not a payment for insect netting.

Rules vary; call your county NRCS office.

Crop context

High-tunnel strawberries — SWD is a fruit-fly problem on berries. Plasticulture, drip, and mulch stay on that crop page.
High-tunnel tomatoes — clips, twine, drip, and shade for a tomato house stay there. This page is sidewall exclusion mesh, not trellis.
High-tunnel cut flowers — the 6-inch mesh on that page is support netting (stems stay upright). It is not insect exclusion and is not Cornell 80-gram.
High tunnel USDA zone 4 vs zone 8 — UGA’s warmer-climate overheating sentence is the reason zone-8 houses need venting if sides and ends close with mesh.

FAQ

What insect netting excludes spotted-wing drosophila (SWD)?: Cornell’s SWD exclusion blog: looser weaves are lighter and allow more air through, but the space between fibers allow smaller insects to pass through. In field trials 60 gram netting (mesh size 1.95 x 0.95 mm) did not exclude SWD. 80 gram netting (mesh size 1.0 x 0.6 mm) has repeatedly excluded SWD over several production seasons. UGA Extension B-1497: the netting needs to be rated at 80 grams or more to keep flies out; 80-gram insect netting on the side walls and ends of tunnels provided a physical barrier to SWD without affecting fruit marketability. Seller “40 Mesh” or “0.8 mm–1 mm” claims on Amazon titles are seller claims — this page does not equate them to Cornell 80-gram. Bootstrap Farmer’s 0.40 mm × 0.25 mm / 120 gsm sidewall netting is a vendor specification, not a Cornell field-trial rating.
Did Cornell test 70-gram netting for SWD?: No field trial on that blog. Cornell: some manufacturers are selling 70 gram netting for SWD exclusion, however, none of the Cornell studies tested 70 gram netting in the field. This page does not invent a 70-gram result.
When should exclusion netting go on the tunnel?: UGA B-1497: netting needs to be installed before SWD becomes active. Cornell’s raspberry high-tunnel note applied netting to the tunnel sides and ends. Alabama ANR-1432 describes insect screens with a low mesh size (large openings) plus screen doors at the entrances while side walls are open during the day, and making a high tunnel into a net house with low-cost insect netting or shade cloth. Those are different jobs — low-mesh screens for medium- and large-sized insects, versus Cornell/UGA 80-gram for SWD.
Will insect netting overheat a high tunnel?: Both land-grant pages warn about heat. Cornell: results with raspberries in a high tunnel with netting on the sides and ends show promise – with the caveat for growers to increase the height of sidewalls, use fans and possibly shade cloth to prevent excess heat. UGA B-1497: in warmer climates, using exclusion netting may result in overheating, negatively affecting plant health and fruit quality; venting systems may be required to avoid this. Fan ASINs stay on the ventilation page. Shade-cloth ASINs stay on the shade-cloth page.
Can shade cloth replace 80-gram insect netting?: For large moths, Alabama / Southern SARE HTPE treats 30–50% shade cloth as an exclusion fabric: it can exclude large moths (≥1.2 in wingspan); leaffooted bug adults were stopped by 40 or 50% shade cloth but not by 30%. That is not Cornell 80-gram SWD exclusion. Shade-cloth featured prices stay on the shade-cloth page — this page does not re-price those ASINs. The March 2015 HTPE bulletin authors printed dated cost figures of under $420 (40%) and under $250 (30%); those are 2015 author figures, not a 2026 Amazon price.
Does EQIP pay for insect netting?: Tunnel Spec does not invent eligibility or dollars. The High Tunnel System Initiative FAQ says financial assistance is provided only for the structure itself, and that electricity, venting systems, lighting, etc. can be installed if they meet manufacturer designs — the grower is responsible for those costs. The Pennsylvania seasonal high tunnel page says producers can install heating, ventilation, or electrical systems at their own expense. NRCS Conservation Practice Standard 325 says the practice does not include greenhouses or low tunnel systems. The same standard’s considerations say: consider additional conservation practices where appropriate to include crop rotation, irrigation water management, salinity management, nutrient management, integrated pest management, critical area planting, mulching, roof runoff structure, diversion, underground outlets, heavy use protection, and cover crop. That is a consideration list, not a netting payment. Confirm insect-netting eligibility with your NRCS district conservationist. See what EQIP will not pay for.

Rules vary; call your county NRCS office. Tunnel Spec does not determine eligibility, payment rates, or inspection outcomes. Confirm insect netting with your NRCS district conservationist. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.