Survey of Thrips Species in Horticultural Greenhouses in Southern France

Thrips are widespread pests in ornamental greenhouses in France. The survey of thrips populations in greenhouses on rose and gerbera crops in two sites in Southern France, at the INRA Research Center (Sophia-Antipolis, France) and at the CREAT Experimental Center (Nice, France), were performed from 2006 to 2009. During that period, more than 6000 thrips were collected using direct sampling on a weekly basis. Nine genera and fifteen different species were identified. Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) and Thrips tabaci Lindeman [Thysanoptera: Thripidae], respectively 81% and 17%, were the most abundant. Two new species were observed; one in France i.e. the Scirtothrips inermis Priesner and one in Europe i.e. the Thrips hawaiiensis (Morgan). Two predators belonging to the Aeolothrips [Thysanoptera: Aeolothrips] genera were also present, the Aeolothrips tenuicornis Bagnall and the A. ericae Bagnall as well as one to the Scolothrips genus: Scolothrips longicornis Priesner.