Frankliniella occidentalis

Frankliniella occidentalis

Western Flower Thrips
Type:Insect
Binomial:Frankliniella occidentalis
Order: Thysanoptera
Diseases vectored:Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus

The Western Flower Thrips is a major agricultural and garden pest, affecting hundreds of cultivated and weedy species. Aside from damage due to feeding, its ability to act as a vector for viruses makes it particularly problematic.

Description

edit

Very small, oblong insects.

Symptoms and Signs

edit

Puncture holes, silvering, yellowing, or browning of plant parts, eventually leaves and flower parts die off and drop.

Ecology

edit

Host plants

edit

Crops attacked by this pest include beans, burdock (gobo), capsicum, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, onion, tomatoes and watermelon. Ornamental crops include carnation, chrysanthemum, orchids, pikake, rose and tuberose. Refer to Yudin et al., (1986) for a listing of hosts in the vegetable-growing region of Kula, Maui.

Control

edit

References

edit