Characterization of Frankliniella occidentalis and Frankliniella bispinosa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Injury to Strawberry.

Frankliniella flower thrips are pests of numerous fruit and vegetable crops as they feed and reproduce in the flowers and fruits. The invasive Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) from the Southwestern United States, an economic pest in Florida since 2005, and the native Frankliniella bispinosa Morgan are both found in Florida strawberries. The objective of this research was to characterize injury to strawberry fruit from these species.

Invasion Biology, Ecology, and Management of Western Flower Thrips.

Western flower thrips, , first arose as an important invasive pest of many crops during the 1970s-1980s. The tremendous growth in international agricultural trade that developed then fostered the invasiveness of western flower thrips. We examine current knowledge regarding the biology of western flower thrips, with an emphasis on characteristics that contribute to its invasiveness and pest status.

Evaluation of a Push-Pull System for the Management of Species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Tomato.

A push-pull strategy for reducing populations of the thrips (Pergande), (Morgan) and (Fitch) in tomato was evaluated. Push components consisted of ultraviolet (UV)-reflective mulch and foliar applications of kaolin and the pull component consisted of the companion plant (L.).

Population Dynamics of Frankliniella bispinosa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and the Predator Orius insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) as Influenced by Flower Color of Lagerstroemia (Lythraceae).

Crapemyrtle is a common landscape planting that is a resource subsidy for beneficial insects. Field studies were conducted to determine the influence of crapemyrtle flower color on the population abundances and predator-prey dynamics of the herbivorous Frankliniella species and the predator Orius insidiosus. Adults and immatures of predator and prey were highly anthophilous, preferring white 'Acoma' flowers compared with lavender 'Apalachee', red 'Carolina Beauty', and pink 'Choctaw'.

Natural Enemies of the Frankliniella Complex Species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Ataulfo Mango Agroecosystems.

A field survey was conducted in Ataulfo mango (Mangifera indica L.) orchards in Chiapas, Mexico, with the objective of determining the natural enemies of the Frankliniella complex species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Seven species of this genus feed and reproduce in large numbers during the mango flowering.

Biotic resistance limits the invasiveness of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), in Florida.

The spread of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), has resulted in the world-wide destabilization of established integrated pest management programs for many crops. It is hypothesized that frequent exposure to insecticides in intensive agriculture selected for resistant populations, which allowed invasive populations in the eastern USA to overcome biotic resistance from the native community of species. Research conducted in Florida to understand the role of biotic factors in limiting the abundance of the western flower thrips is reviewed.

Evaluation of a push-pull strategy for the management of Frankliniella bispinosa (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in bell peppers.

A push-pull strategy for managing the anthophilous Frankliniella bispinosa (Morgan) in pepper and increasing conservation biological control was evaluated. Push components of ultraviolet (UV)-reflective mulch and foliar applications of kaolin and the pull component of sunflower companion plants were evaluated in replicated field experiments in 2011 and 2012. Adult F.

The α6 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunit of Frankliniella occidentalis is not involved in resistance to spinosad.

Insects evolve resistance which constrains the sustainable use of insecticides. Spinosyns, a class of environmentally-friendly macrolide insecticides, is not an exception. The mode of inheritance and the mechanisms of resistance to spinosad (the most common spinosyn insecticide) in Frankliniella occidentalis (Western flower thrips, WFT) were investigated in this study.

Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) integrated pest management programs for fruiting vegetables in Florida.

Background: The spread of the western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), resulted in the worldwide destabilization of established integrated pest management programs for many crops. Efforts to control the pest and the thrips-vectored tospoviruses with calendar applications of broad-spectrum insecticides have been unsuccessful. The result has been a classic '3-R' situation: resistance to numerous insecticides; resurgence of the western flower thrips populations as a result of natural predators and native competitor thrips being eliminated; replacement by various other pests.

Population dynamics and within-plant distribution of Frankliniella spp. thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in cotton.

Thrips cause damage to seedling cotton, and they are associated with the spread of Fusarium hardlock, a serious disease affecting cotton bolls that reduces lint yield in the southern United States. The population dynamics and within-plant distribution of Frankliniella spp. thrips in cotton were determined in 2005, 2006, and 2007 in Quincy and in 2006 and 2007 in Marianna, FL.

Flower-inhabiting Frankliniella Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), pesticides, and Fusarium hardlock in cotton.

Cotton hardlock caused by Fusarium verticillioides (Sacc. Nirenberg) can reduce cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., yields > 70% in the southeastern United States.

Population abundance of Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and natural enemies on plant hosts in central Chile.

Populations of the invasive Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) are serious pests of agricultural crops in the Aconcagua Valley of central Chile. An extensive survey was conducted of 55 plant species in 24 families to identify plant hosts of F. occidentalis and to determine its relative abundance on each host during each season.

Competitive exclusion of a worldwide invasive pest by a native. Quantifying competition between two phytophagous insects on two host plant species.

1. High competitive ability is believed to be an important characteristic of invasive species. Many animal studies have compared the competitive ability of invasive species with a native species that is being displaced, but few have looked at systems where an invasive species has failed to establish itself.

Host-Parasite Biology of Thripinema fuscum (Tylenchida: Allantonematidae) and Frankliniella fusca (Thysanoptera: Thripidae).

Thripinema fuscum is a natural enemy of Frankliniella fusca in peanut. Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the reproductive biology of T. fuscum as affected by gender and stage of development of the host and to determine the effects of parasitism on host longevity, fecundity, and mortality.

Population dynamics of Frankliniella spp. and tomato spotted wilt incidence as influenced by cultural management tactics in tomato.

We investigated the effects of ultraviolet (UV)-reflective mulch and two rates of nitrogen fertilization on populations of Frankliniella spp. thrips and on the incidence of tomato spotted wilt in field-grown tomato in northern Florida. The higher of the two soil nitrogen fertilizer treatments significantly increased populations of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), whereas mulch reflectance significantly decreased populations of F.