Recap of April 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector
In April, we took a closer look at the pest group thrips (Order: Thysanoptera). While there are over 7,000 species of thrips around the world, only a handful of them are pests on plants. Most thrips feed on fungi or decaying matter like leaf litter. Thrips can be distinguished from other insects by their fringed wings. They have unique rasping mouthparts which lead to damage like leaf discoloration, leaf distortion, abortion of flowers or buds, plant stunting and more. For the species that do feed on plants, they can feed on leaves, buds, flowers or fruit. Some thrips species can also vector plant pathogens like tospoviruses.
While we covered several thrips species in the webinar, we spent quite a bit of time on Thrips parvispinus. While native to Asia, this species has been found in other parts of the world, including parts of Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. This species was recently first detected in Florida in 2020 in Orange County. It has since been found in several other areas in Florida, but we are still learning about where it has spread. Thrips parvispinus causes damage to vegetable, ornamental, and fruit crops. This pest has caused damage to the Gardenia and Mandevilla production in south Florida. Thrips parvispinus is a regulated pest by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Plant Industry (FDACS-DPI).
Since thrips are very small, they are often hard to detect on plant material. When plants are moved to new locations, thrips may also be moved. Many detections of new thrips species in Florida are on plant shipments. If you are seeing unusual pests, especially something you haven’t seen before, connect with your local county extension office. It may be the first time it is found in the state! By catching it early, we may be able to eradicate it or stop it from further spreading.
Resources on invasive thrips
FDACS Pest Alert for Thrips parvispinus
UF Mid-Florida Research and Education Center Thrips parvispinus Resources Page
FDACS Pest Alert for Asian Bean Thrips
FDACS Pest Alert for Sugarcane Thrips
UF EDIS Chili Thrips
UF Ask IFAS Topics on Thrips
Pest Thrips in the US, Field Guide
Thrips Identification Keys and Other Resources
Want to watch the recording?
What is the upcoming schedule?
We are meeting online via Zoom from 12:00PM-1:00PM on the First Friday of every month from Sept 2022-Aug 2024. Please visit this blog for registration information and the upcoming schedule for Sept 2023-2024.
Questions?
Contact Dr. Morgan Pinkerton, morgan0402@ufl.edu
Or
Visit the Florida First Detector Website
The post April 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector appeared first on UF/IFAS Pest Alert.
Recap of April 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector In April, we took a closer look at the pest group thrips (Order: Thysanoptera). While there are over 7,000 species of thrips around the world, only a handful of them are pests on plants. Most thrips feed on fungi or decaying matter like leaf litter.
The post April 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector appeared first on UF/IFAS Pest Alert.
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Source: UF/IFAS Pest Alert
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