Attraction of thrips (Thysanoptera) to colored sticky traps in a Florida olive grove

Authors: Allan, Sandra - Sandy; GILLETT-KAUFMAN, JENNIFER - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Florida Entomologist
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/9/2017
Publication Date: 3/16/2018
Citation: Allan, S.A., Gillett-Kaufman, J. 2018. Attraction of thrips (Thysanoptera) to colored sticky traps in a Florida olive grove. Florida Entomologist. 101(1):61-68. https://doi.org/10.1653/024.101.0112.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1653/024.101.0112

Interpretive Summary: Olives are a new crop under production in Florida with many new plantings adjacent to citrus production. There is a wide array of insect pests on fruit trees in Florida and the potential for these pests to impact olive production in Florida is unknown. In this study, an ARS scientist from Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL, in collaboration with a scientist from University of Florida, evaluated various methods used for determining pest populations in citrus orchards, in a newly established olive grove in central Florida. Sampling with different colored sticky traps or from vegetation were used to determine optimal methods for collection of thrips which were the most common insect pests detected. These methods can form the basis for effective monitoring olive groves for thrips pests and guide pest management efforts.

Technical Abstract: A study was conducted in four plots within a newly established olive grove in Florida to compare efficacy of colored sticky traps for surveillance of pests and to compare with other direct sampling methods. Over 99% of thrips collected were Frankliniella bispinosa with occasional collections of predacious Leptothrips pini. Collections of thrips on sticky traps and in tap and brush samples were high at the time of bloom with low numbers before bloom and very low numbers after bloom. No differences in collections were seen between plots for sticky cards, however, one plot had higher thrips numbers in both tap and brush samples. Overall and specifically during bloom, blue sticky traps were the most attractive followed by yellow then white sticky traps. Clear traps collected the fewest thrips were the most attractive for thrips with white and clear traps collecting fewer thrips. For tap samples, more thrips were collected on the edges than in the middle of the grove. Hot-spots of thrips were detected by the tap samples. Although sticky traps were highly effective for collecting thrips, only tap samples detected the localized hot spots.