The vinegar fly Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera Drosophilidae), spotted wing drosophila, is a highly polyphagous invasive pest endemic to South East Asia, which has recently invaded western countries. Its serrated ovipositor allows this fly to lay eggs on and damage unwounded ripening fruits, thus heavily threatening fruit production. D. suzukii is spreading rapidly and economic losses are severe, thus it is rapidly becoming a pest of great concern. This paper reviews the existing knowledge on the pest life history and updates its current distribution across Europe. D. suzukii presence has now been reported in nine European countries. Nonetheless, several knowledge gaps about this pest still exist and no efficient monitoring tools have been developed yet. This review is aimed at highlighting the possible research approach which may hopefully provide management solutions to the expanding challenge that D. suzukii poses to European fruit production.