Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
Order
THYSANOPTERA
(thrips)
Family
THRIPIDAE
Echinothrips americanus
Morgan
Poinsettia thrips
Since the 1990s, this pest (which is of eastern USA
origin) has become established in various parts of
mainland Europe, particularly on greenhouse
ornamentals. The thrips has also been intercepted on
plants exported to England. Various woody and
herbaceous plants are attacked, including busy lizzie
(
Impatiens
),
Chrysanthemum, Dieffenbachia, Fatsia,
Hibiscus, Homalomena
, peace lily (
Spathiphyllum
),
Philodendron
, poinsettia (
Euphorbia pulcherrima
) and
Syngonium
. The insects, which breed mainly if not
entirely parthenogenetically, are about 1.5 mm long and
dark brown to blackish with pale wing bases. The
nymphs are whitish and translucent. Characteristically,
both adults and nymphs often congregate in numbers on
the upper surface of infested leaves.
Thrips with a flattened body, narrow and pointed wings,
and a saw-like ovipositor. Development includes an egg
and two nymphal stages, followed by single non-
feeding propupal and pupal stages.
Anaphrothrips orchidaceus
Bagnall
Yellow orchid thrips
An introduced thrips, sometimes infesting greenhouse-
grown orchids in northern Europe, producing brown
patches on the green tuberous tissue. Adults (1.3 mm
long) are yellow-bodied, with a pair of brown stripes
behind the eyes; antennae are 8-segmented and mainly
brown; the fore wings are light brown, but pale basally,
and the legs yellow.
Dendrothrips ornatus
(Jablonowski) (
235
)
Privet thrips
Infestations of this locally common thrips occur on the
upper surface of leaves of lilac (
Syringa
) and privet
(
Ligustrum vulgare
), causing noticeable silvering and
distortion; in continental Europe, this species is also
reported on alder (
Alnus
) and lime (
Tilia
). There are two
or more generations each year, the thrips occurring
on host plants from April to November. Adults
(0.9-1.1 mm long) are brown, with short, 6-segmented
antennae and three white crossbands on each fore wing.
235
235
Privet thrips (
Dendrothrips ornatus
) damage to leaf of
Ligustrum
.
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