This insect order is composed exclusively of tiny insects commonly called thrips, and includes more than 7,000 species. Oviposition scars that can enlarge into extended halos or "pansy spots" with a central spot of russet on apples. Soak gladiolus corms in the liquid and plant while still wet to prevent thrips. Adult western flower thrips can be distinguished from other insects by their fringed wings, their tubular body shape and color. Description, Biology, Life Cycle, Damage, Common Names, Images. Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande is a commonly encountered and economically important insect pest of greenhouses. Males are smaller than females (about 2/3 the female length) and are light yellow throughout their body. western flower thrips in tomato. In spring, there is an increase in the number of flower thrips on alfalfa, weeds, ice plant, and other vegetation and move from these hosts when they are cut, stop flowering, or dry up. First instar nymph. • Spray tomatoes when numbers of adults or larvae exceed the action threshold. Western Flower Thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis Frankliniella occidentalis, the western flower thrips, is a key pest of glasshouses, greenhouses and polytunnels.. Thrips can be difficult for growers to detect due to their small size and tendency for hiding within the concealed parts of the plant. Western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis. Adult western flower thrips are approximately 1-2 mm in length and generally yellowish-brown in colour. Adult western flower thrips are minute, slender-bodied insects possessing two pairs of long, narrow wings, the margins of which are fringed with long hairs. Female adult western flower thrips live up to 30 days and lay 2-10 eggs per day. Direct damage results in lost yield and/or inferior prices, as damage is unsightly - common in roses, strawberries, beans, capsicum and cucumbers. Try not to overfertilize plants, as this can lead to more thrips damage. A few species of thrips are now worldwide pests, and one of these is the western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis). It is ideally suited for the control of fungus gnat larvae (Bradysia spp.) 0000054893 00000 n Females are about 1/25 of an inch long and have many color forms. The Situation: In southern California, the native western flower thrips (WFT) Frankliniella occidentalis is the most common vector responsible for transmission of an exotic plant virus, Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV). Spray applications are only effective when thrips are actively feeding as larvae or adults. 0000057058 00000 n Western flower thrips. Attacks the foliage and/or flowers of many glasshouse plants, especially tomato, cucumber, streptocarpus, African violet, fuchsia, gloxinia, achimenes, pelargonium, cyclamen, chrysanthemum, verbena, Primula obconica and Impatiens. The western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande is an important pest of tomato plants, causing direct and indirect damages. They feed by a âpunch and suckâ method, whereby they push their mouth cone into plant tissue or pollen, and then suck the contents through their straw-like stylets. 0000062984 00000 n Photo by Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org. The female varies from yellow to dark brown, and has a more rounded abdomen. The life cycle consists of five stages: egg, larval, prepupal, pupal and adult. Reflective mulches can help to hide your plants from thrips. 0000004050 00000 n A threshold of 10 thrips per bloom is used in California. This insect order is composed exclusively of tiny insects commonly called thrips, and includes more than 7,000 species. Thrips have spread throughout the horticulture industry on plugs, cuttings, and small plants. Colour varies, from reddish-yellow to mid-dark brown. 0000062945 00000 n 0000113149 00000 n 0000007521 00000 n The antennae are eight segmented. 0000054512 00000 n h�b```b``]�������A���b�,k88��.��|?��P�CC�CNA"+_���������= '-��c8����#����+j����a^.��sm���T�x$MB>^a?��c����(V�Q��M�sв�?o=}۶�`�5_9㒚ژ9DV.V�:��z�����|��ؤ5.^��o`��ƴ���+--L3��D�- �L��H1 Antennae: 8 segments. Western Flower Thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) are very small and slender insects with fringed wings and are a common insect found in greenhouses and gardens.Thrips range in color from translucent white to yellow to green to black and brown. Banded wing thrips are also good predators. Pest description and crop damage Adult western flower thrips (WFT) are very small (about 0.04 inch long at maturity), slender insects with fringed wings. ), a small black and white-colored bug with piercing-sucking mouthparts, that can kill thrips larvae and adults. However, thrips larvae are more elongated and worm-like. (a) Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (b) Common blossom thrips, Frankliniella schultzei (c) Chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis. Western flower thrips is a native of western North America. Western Flower Thrips. Western flower thrips are slender, about 0.03 inch (0.8 mm) long insects when mature. Color of adults western flower thrips varies … Out-of-doors it is a pest of several field and vegetable crops and also tree fruits. Application Instructions for Fungus Gnat & Western Flower Thrips Control NemaShield® NemaShield is a sprayable formulation that contains the beneficial nematode Steinernema feltiae. The pathogen was discovered on tomatoes in 1915 in Australia, and has been spreading around the world ever since. Indirect damage by thrips as a vector of TSWV is common in lettuce, capsicum and tomato. Western flower thrips is primarily a pest of herbaceous plants; but high populations can damage flowers on woody plants, such as roses. Because the immature stages usually remain on one plant and do not move to other plants, most of the spread of the virus is by the adult stage as they fly or are carried by wind currents. Western Flower Thrips Management The BotaniGard® Greenhouse Insect Management Program is an effective way to control western flower thrips in greenhouse ornamental and vegetable production. 0000005637 00000 n Western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis P. (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is a major agricultural and horticulture pest worldwide (Kirk, 2002; Kirk and Terry, 2003).It causes damage and spoilage to a vast number of economically important plant species through feeding, oviposition and spread of several plant diseases, most notably tospoviruses (Morse and Hoddle, 2006). This IPM-based program involves monitoring, early treatment, good spray coverage and good housekeeping practices. This stage can be tackled with parasitic nematodes. 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