Associate Professor University of Florida Immokalee, Florida
Orius insidiosus is an efficient predator of several small arthropod pests. The Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS) is an enclosed production system designed to protect citrus from the Asian citrus psyllid and its vectored huanglongbing (HLB) as well as other large pests. However, small pests, including mites, thrips, citrus leafminer, and scales, are frequently found in the CUPS and require management. We studied populations of Florida flower thrips Frankliniella bispinosa and performance of O. insidiosus against flower thrips attacking ‘Ray Ruby’ grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) on two rootstocks (US897 and sour orange). Trees were planted in-ground or in pots in four CUPS and Open air (OA) controls at the University of Florida- Indian River Research and Education Center, Fort Pierce, FL. Flower thrips population was high in the CUPS compared to the OA and followed “aggregated” pattern of dispersion. Orius insidiosus adults were starved for 24 hours and confined individually using fine mesh organdy cages on branches containing thrips-infested flowers, uninfested flowers, and without flowers. Survival of O.insidiosus and reduction in thrips was evaluated at 24, 48, and 72 hours after predator release. The density of thrips was reduced by an average of 69% in the CUPS and 40.5% in the OA. More thrips were consumed in the trees planted in-ground than pots. The survival of O. insidiosus was higher in the CUPS than OA, particularly in the presence of infested and uninfested flowers.
