Thrips are minute insects and belong to the family thripidae of the order Thysanoptera. Thrips are less than two millimeters long, slender like and agile insects. Head of Scirtothrips dorsalis is pale in colour longer than broad, 217.5-237 μm long and 175-194 μm wide across the eyes. Eyes are redish in colour, 75-89 μm long and 63-70 μm wide at the middle and three occili are arranged triangula...

represents considerable thrips pressure. We present the data from yellow traps only to show that many thrips were present in the greenhouse throughout the trial. In the absence of predators, the number of thrips per plant increased consistently throughout the trial to reach 39.28 per plant in the final week (table 1). All treatments significantly reduced thrips numbers (P < 0.05) compared to th...

A new genus of Australian Phlaeothripidae is described, Klambothrips, to include a new species of gall-inducing thrips, K. myopori, that is a pest on the leaves of prostrate and upright Myoporum shrubs in California. A closely related thrips, Liothrips walsinghami Girault, is also included in this genus. This thrips is common in the coastal regions of south eastern Australia damaging the leaves...

ABSTRACT Different levels of thrips resistance were found in seven Capsicum accessions. Based on the level of feeding damage, host preference, and host suitability for reproduction, a thrips susceptible and a resistant accession were selected to study their performance as Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) sources and targets during thrips-mediated virus transmission. Vector resistance did not af...

Onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman) has become a significant pest of cabbage (Brasssica oleracea L.) in regions with a dry continental climate. Thrips-resistant cabbage varieties have been developed in breeding programs, but the mechanisms ofresistance remain largely unknown. Antixenosis, one of the three resistance mechanisms, may play a role but no plant trait has been identified as a sourc...

The New Zealand flower thrips, (Thrips obscuratus Crawford) can damage nectarines, with both adults and larvae feeding on developing fruitlets. As T. obscuratus does not overwinter in Central Otago, it is thought that adults are carried on air currents from Canterbury in spring. We investigated if influxes of thrips as detected by sticky board catches over three seasons could be related to envi...

Greenhouse studies were conducted from 1996 to 1998 to determine the efficacy of spinosad, and acephate, against western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande) on transvaal daisy (Gerbera jamesonii H. Bolus ex. Hook f). In addition, the number of natural enemies inside and outside the greenhouse was determined. Studies were arranged in a randomized complete-block design with four b...

Flower thrips are one of the key pests in production of southern highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L. × V. darrowi Camp). They feed on the reproductive parts of the flower and reduce yield. Very few insecticides are available to manage thrips population. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate pre-existing and experimental insecticides for their efficacy against thrips. There is also a ...

Theory predicts that the balance of nutritional needs, food availability, and the quality of particular food items are important factors in the feeding decisions of omnivorous animals. In this study we investigate factors that affect the feeding decisions of an omnivorous thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) that eats both animal prey and plant foliage. In the presence of prey (mite eggs), adult...

Studies on bacteria in the gut of insect species are numerous, but their focus is hardly ever on the impact on host performance. We showed earlier that Erwinia bacteria occur in the gut of western flower thrips, most probably acquired during feeding. Here, we investigate whether thrips gain a net benefit or pay a net cost because of these gut bacteria. On a diet of cucumber leaves, the time to ...