THRIPS-LURE

What are Thrips?

The western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis andThrips species are major insect pests of vegetables, ornamentals, and fruit trees.  They attack flowers, leaves, fruits, and buds of a wide variety of economically important crops.  Plant cells are destroyed by feeding.  Some thrips vector viruses such as impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV) and tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV).

Feeding on flower buds can prevent flowers from developing or produce fruit that is distorted such as seen with apples, nectarines, and pears.  Feeding on leaves can greatly reduce yields of crops such as onions and gladiolus.  Scarring of ornamental flowers and leaves by western flower thrips and other flower feeding thrips substantially reduces value.

Performance

Thrips-Lure is a controlled release dispenser of potent attractant to attract thrips in close proximity to a blue or yellow sticky card.  Use it to monitor thrips in low population situations or early before thrips become established.  Thrips-Lure has the potential to mass trap thrips and keep populations low in crops.  Research at LSU demonstrated that yellow sticky cards placed next to Thrips-Lure caught an average of 3 times more than untreated cards.  Field and greenhouse trials conducted by Virginia Tech in 2009 and 2010 demonstrated Thrips-Lure attracted significantly more flower thrips (F. tritici) and Western flower thrips (F. occidentalis) than Syngenta’s lure.  The tobacco thrips, F. fusca showed no response to either lure.  Other university trials have shown the active ingredients in Thrips-Lure increase capture by 1.8-8 times more on sticky cards or water traps.

Application

Remove the lure from foil packet and attach to or very near a yellow or blue sticky card to increase attraction of thrips to the card.  Thrips-Lure can also be used to Mass Trap thrips by attaching lure to multiple sticky cards, sticky ribbon, or water traps.  Use at least one lure per tree and 2-4 lures for larger trees.  Use at least 1 lure per 500 sq. ft. in greenhouses.  Replace lure every 3-4 weeks depending on temperature.

Research

• Effect of Semiochemical attractants on Thrips Sampling - Virginia Tech

Dozens of Thrips caught on trap with Trips-Lure.

Very few Thrips caught on trap without Thrips-Lure.