Thrips parvispinus (Karny, 1922), an invasive pest of vegetable and ornamental crops new for European countries

Abstract

Thrips (Insecta, Thysanoptera), like other sucking arthropods, have become important pests of agricultural crops, especially in protected areas. Due to their extremely small size, these insects are easily spread by produce, transport, and air currents over long distances. Once in new habitats, many of them become dangerous pests. This is facilitated by their short development time, the development of some stages in shelters, and the ability to reproduce parthenogenetically over several generations. A typical example is Frankliniella occidentalis (Perg.). Native to the United States, this species has spread to every continent and is an economically significant pest of many agricultural crops in both open and protected areas, as well as a vector of plant pathogenic viruses. The spread of invasive thrips species continues today. Thrips parvispinus (Karny) was first detected on the European continent in 1998 in Greece (after an initial misidentification). Its active spread across Europe continued in 2010–2020. This polyphagous pest can be introduced into the Russian Federation with various products, but due to the recent invasion of Europe, phytosanitary and agricultural specialists have no information about the pest. Previously, the species was not included in either Russian or European thrips identification guides, making it very difficult to identify on-site when detected. This paper presents comprehensive information on the diagnostic characters of T. parvispinus, accompanied by original microphotographs of these characters. It also provides information on the biology, harmfulness, and control measures of the pest, obtained from available sources.