Grass Thrips: Appearance, Territory, Damage and Life

Latin name: Anaphothrips obscurus

Appearances: A. obscurus males are unknown, and the species’ parthenogenetic nature has never been confirmed elsewhere in the world. The females are dimorphic, having either small wings or fully developed wings (macropterous) (micropterous or brachypterous). The forewings of macroptera are slightly yellow, while the distal antennal segments are primarily brown. The posterior margin of the head has a brown transverse marking, and the anterior tergites are variably shaded with brown. Individuals with micropterous traits are typically nearly transparent yellow. In contrast to the majority of other pest thrips species, the head and pronotum lack lengthy setae. The eighth abdominal tergite bears a full comb along the posterior margin, and the abdominal tergites are entirely sculptured medially.

Host plants: Iris, grains (rice, wheat, and corn), and grasses are the main hosts. Numerous kinds of thrips are harmless and feed on pollen and fungus spores.

Territory: This thrips, which originated in New Zealand, was brought to Southern California and quickly spread to the majority of the state’s growing regions.

Damage insect caused: If large populations first gathered on wheat in the spring and then migrated to maize, A. obscurus caused significant harm to young maize in late spring. The population size was decreased by rains but boosted by drought. In greenhouses, indoor plants, and gardens, thrips are a prevalent pest. By sucking up plant liquids and tearing at fruits, flowers, and leaves, thrips harm plants. Young leaves and fruit are distorted as a result of them. on flowers, spotting yellow spots on the leaves. Older leaves have a silvery sheen. Thrips excrement-colored black dots on leaves. Small insects on the undersides of your crop’s young leaves or among the blossoms.

Life cycle and habits: Thrips hatch from an egg and go through two larval stages that are actively feeding as well as prepupa and pupa, which are nonfeeding stages, before becoming adults. Even though thrips do not have a genuine pupal stage, late-instar larvae undergo significant morphological and behavioral changes and are referred to as prepupae and pupae. Thrips hatch from eggs and go through two wingless stages of development. But before they mature into pupae, they go through a non-feeding stage known as the prepupa. Within 20 days, thrips normally reach adulthood. Young thrips eat on the plants they were originally deposited on after emerging from their cocoons.