tags: - public-ready - export-bio - index
Western Flower Thrips
Overview
Western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) is one of the most important thrips species in protected horticulture worldwide.
It is particularly important because of:
- flower feeding behaviour
- rapid protected-crop reproduction
- virus transmission relevance
- hidden feeding behaviour
- resistance management pressure
Crop relevance
Important in:
- strawberries
- peppers
- cucumbers
- ornamentals
- chrysanthemums
- propagation crops
- nursery systems
Symptoms
Typical symptoms include:
- silvering
- bronzing
- flower damage
- distorted growth
- fruit marking
- black feeding spots
- pollen contamination
Virus relevance
Western flower thrips is commercially important because it may vector plant viruses in susceptible systems.
This makes early detection and ecological stability especially important.
Biological control relevance
Common biological controls include: