Effect of Pine Pollen on Settling Behavior of Frankliniella occidentalis and Frankliniella fusca (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) on Tomato and Peanut

Pollen was found to significantly influence the host leaf selection and settling behaviors of certain thrips species (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). The effect of slash pine pollen (Pinus elliottii Engelm.) on the settling of Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (western flower thrips) and Frankliniella fusca (Hinds) (tobacco thrips) was studied with leaf choice tests in peanut and tomato. In choice tests, F. occidentalis settling behavior was increased by seven-fold with the addition of pine pollen, but F. fusca was not significantly affected. In the flower thrips, the effect of pollen decreased over time without the renewal of pollen, suggesting thrips consumption of the pollen grains. These results support the idea that slash pine pollen has a greater impact on flower thrips (F. occidentalis) behavior than foliage thrips (F. fusca) behavior.