Notes on Thysanoptera found on flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) in the British Isles

Abstract

The following eighteen species of Thysanoptera Terebrantia have been found on flax in the British Isles: Melanthrips fuscus (Sulzer), Aeolothrips fasciatus (L.), Anaphothrips obscurus (Müler), Aptinothrips rufus (Gmelin), Chirothrips manicatus Hal., Limothrips cerealium Hal., L. denticornis Hal., Stenothrips graminum Uzel, Taeniothrips atratus (Hal.), T. vulgatissimus (Hal.), Thrips angusticeps Uzel, T. discolor Hal., T. flavus Schrank, T. fuscipennis Hal., T. major Uzel, T. minutissimus L., T. physapus L., T. tabaci Lindeman. Each species is described briefly with notes on habits of adults and larvae, place of pupation, number of generations in the year, hibernation, time of occurrence on plants, plants and objects on which found, host plants of larvae and adults, importance to flax, record of locality and collector on flax, distribution, including altitudes, in the British Isles. More species occur in the south than in the north of Great Britain, and species common to both regions usually occur in greater numbers in the south. The insects breed on certain species of crop plants, weeds or trees of arable land. No damage of economic importance to flax by Thysanoptera has been proven in the British Isles, and the flax thrips, Thrips lini Ladureau, has not been found. Taeniothrips vulgatissimus (Hal.) may breed on flax and its adults, and those of T. atratus (Hal.) may cause superficial damage to petals of flowers. Thrips angusticeps Uzel and T. tabaci Lindeman will probably breed on flax.

Host Plant Association and Distribution of the Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Cryptic Species Complex

“…These countries or regions are located in Africa: Egypt [ 21 , 23 ], Kenya [ 81 ], South Africa [ 9 ], Tanzania [ 72 ] and Zimbabwe [ 9 ]; America: Brazil [ 96 ]; Guadeloupe [ 97 ], Martinique [ 97 ], Mexico [ 98 ], Peru [ 74 ] and USA [ 38 , 43 ]; Asia: India [ 70 , 99 ]; Iraq [ 100 ], Iran [ 30 ], Israel [ 40 , 100 ], Japan [ 40 , 94 ], Pakistan [ 31 ], Saudi Arabia [ 100 ] and Taiwan island [ 72 ]; Europe: Albania [ 101 ], Austria [ 102 ], Bulgaria [ 46 , 103 ], Cyprus [ 104 ], France [ 105 ], Germany [ 106 ], Greece [ 10 , 48 ], Hungary [ 3 , 42 ], Italy [ 88 ], Moldova [ 107 ], Netherlands [ 40 , 108 ], Poland [ 28 ], Romania [ 109 ], Russia [ 110 ], Serbia [ 67 ], Spain [ 111 ], Turkey [ 112 ] and United Kingdom [ 24 , 113 ]; Oceania: Hawaii Islands [ 89 ], New Caledonia […”

“…Table 3 quantifies the highly polyphagous nature of this species complex; even though to our best knowledge, this list of host plants is the most comprehensive list presented to date for this species, the complete host range of the onion thrips cryptic species complex is likely to be even broader since most of the surveys carried out either only involve the identification of adults or are biased towards studying plant species with agricultural importance [ 87 , 112 ]. Likewise, taking into account its global distribution ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 ) [ 2 ], the number of botanical families in which this species is reported to breed and the reports of thrips adults being collected from hundreds of plant species at national level [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 89 ], it is plausible that many more plants will be reported as breeding grounds for onion thrips.…”

“…Other characteristics of winged adult thrips are their highly dispersive behaviour; even though adult thrips are weak flyers, they can easily be airborne and readily carried by the wind or other transportation means [ 20 ]. In the case of adult onion thrips, they have been collected from hundreds of different plant species at a national level [ 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 ]. However, this does not mean that every plant from which adult thrips are recorded is suitable for their development [ 25 , 26 ].…”

Records of Thysanoptera at Silwood Park, With Notes on Their Biology

“…Hibernating females were common on timothy stubble. Morison (1943) recorded one generation in N.E. Scotland, but von Oettingen (1942) found two in N.E.…”