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Scouting Citrus for Pests - Page 31
Plant-feeding thrips are tiny insects most commonly found in flowers. Immature stages have no wing buds and are called larvae. When feeding stops they enter into 2 "prepupal" stage which drop to the ground and pupate. Adults resemble larvae and feed the same way, sucking out plant contents as do mites. High populations of the common flower thrips Frankliniella bispinosa in spring time has been associated with decreased fruit set in Florida. Feeding of the orchid thrips and other related species has been associated with ring-spot injury of grapefruit.
Scouting for the thrips on grapefruit is virtually impossible because of their rapid movement and the fact that so few can cause significant injury. However, it is possible to see nascent damage before serious injury develops. In this study done with Carl Childers (UF/CREC) we saw that 3% early damage corresponded to 10% fruit infested and, if treated at that time, would avoided serious injury.
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