669 



THYSANOPTERA. *^!'A 



"'<>a:^^. 



By Richard S. Bagnall, F.L.S., F.E.S. 



Contents: i, General Remarks; 2, Systematic Account. 



I . General Remarks. 



The insects of the order Thysanoptera are perhaps less studied than those of any 

 other well-defined group. This is partly accounted for, perhaps, by the fact that they 

 require special collecting and preserving, and partly also by the minute size of 

 most thrips. Whilst the Thysanopteron is difficult to understand morphologically and 

 certain parts are yet but incompletely understood, it is recognized, and has for some 

 time been recognized, as an insect of decided economic importance, and in view of this 

 it is indeed strange that the order should have been so long neglected by entomologists. 

 The pioneer work of Haliday, Heeger, Jordan, Uzel, Renter, Trybom, Hinds, is 

 bearing fruit, however, and to-day many entomologists (though fewer than we would 

 wish) are energetically working at the Thysanoptera'. 



It is only recently that the forms outside of the Palaearctic and Nearctic regions 

 have received attention, but from material we have examined from India, the Malay 

 Archipelago, Africa, Central America, etc., it is evident that the Thysanopterous fauna 

 of the tropical and sub-tropical regions will prove to be a very rich one. And it is only 

 natural to suppose that wherever a district is botanically rich, it will also be wealthy in 

 these insects, the majority of which infest flowers and leaves of different plants. 



They should be searched for on and under the leaves and stalks of all grasses, 

 ferns, flowering plants, shrubs and trees ; in flowers, on lichens, amongst moss, etc., 

 and under bark of decaying trees ; a few forms are found in galls and others live in 

 fungoid growths. Most thrips live gregariously and all stages are frequently found 

 together. 



' Trybom (Sweden); Karny and Schmutz (Austria); Buffa (Italy); Crawford, Franklin, Hood and 

 Moulton (U.S.A.). 



F. H. III. 86 



