This study deals with an interesting record of exotic pest thrips Hercinothrips femoralis (Reuter, 1891) small population in the Carpathian mountain area (Vysoké Tatry Mts, N Slovakia) during the extensive research on high altitude forest succession. Hercinothrips femoralis is a well-known African pest species that has been introduced into the temperate regions of Europe, surviving only in glasshouses. The record in the coldest altitudes ever published (more than 1,000 m a.s.l.) indicates a role of passive migration and an effort of insects to taste ecological and environmental limits in their distribution.

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Almost sixty years after the first published plea for more systematic research on thrips in Slovakia, the checklist undisputedly requires an appropriate revision with a special emphasis on the economic consequences of climate change and biological commodity trade globalisation synergic effects, followed by the dynamic and significant changes in the native biodiversity due to alien species introduction. The updated checklist contains 189 species  ecorded from the area of Slovakia, from three families: Aeolothripidae Uzel, 1895 (15 species), Thripidae Stephens, 1829 (113 species) and Phlaeothripidae Uzel, 1895 (61 species), including 7 beneficiary and 35 economic pest elements, such as one A2 EPPO quarantine pest (Frankliniella occidentalis) and five potential transmitters of tospoviruses (F. occidentalis, F. intonsa, F. fusca, Thrips tabaci, Dictyothrips betae). Several species (e.g., Hercinothrips femoralis, Microcephalothrips abdominalis, F. occidentalis, T. flavus, T. tabaci, Limothrips cerealium, L. denticornis, etc.) may possess a heavy introduction and invasion potential with well-developed mechanisms for successful dispersion.

This preliminary communication presents the first record of predaceous thrips Scolothrips longicornis Priesner, 1926 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Slovakia. As a well known predator of numerous spider mites, e.g. Tetranychus urticae or Eutetranychus orientalis it has been considered as a suitable biological control agent recently. Tetranychids mites are harmful agriculture pests, causing damage on a variety of greenhouse and field crops (e.g. cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, beans, corn, strawberries) and are difficult to control chemically. Scolothrips longicornis was recorded in soil and a tree photoeclector samples from Bábsky les wood, a natural oak-hornbeam forest (Fageto-Quercetum), situated in the district of Nitra (SW Slovakia).

Masarovič R., Štefánik M., Zvaríková M., Sigmund J., Fedor P. (2017): First record of a new alien economically important thrips Dichromothrips corbetti (Priesner, 1936) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) in Slovakia -short communication. Plant Protect. Sci., 53: 177-180.The first record of vanda thrips (Dichromothrips corbetti [Priesner, 1936], Thysanoptera, Thripidae) in Slovakia is presented. An economically important pest with heavy infestations on flowers of Phalaenopsis orchids was recorded as introduced most probably from North African plantations. Potential infiltration of this exotic species into Central European glasshouses refers to the globalisation of trade in biological commodities.

Fedor P., Sigmund J., Zvaríková M., Masarovič R., Štefánik M., Krumpál M., Litavský J., Prokop P. (2018): The most northern record of the alien composite thrips Microcephalothrips abdominalis in Europe -short communication. Plant Protect. Sci., 54: 43-47.

After the first record of the banded greenhouse thrips, Hercinothrips femoralis (Reuter, 1891) in Slovakia in 2008, a peculiar occurrence in an extreme subalpine environment of Podbanské (High Tatra Mts.), Slovakia, during the summer of the same year was observed. Since this species of exotic thrips is known to be almost sedentary, the mode of dispersal was hypothesized to be related to passive transport via weather currents. According to our observations of unintentional dispersal a test was conducted to research a previously unidentified introduction pathway of this species. Our preliminary results show that passive transport by humans plays a crucial role in the dispersal of H. femoralis.