U. S. D. A.,n. E. Bui. 99, Partll. I". <'. & S. P. I. I., December 14, 1912. 



PAPERS ON INSECTS INJURIOUS TO CITRUS AND OTHER SUBTROPICAL 



FRUITS. 



THE RED-BANDED THRIPS. 



(Heliothrips ruhrocincttis Giard.) 



By H. M. Russell, 



Entomological Assistant. 



INTRODUCTION. 



For a period of about twelve years tlie red-banded tlirips (rielio- 

 tJirips ruhrocincius Giard) (PI. V) has ranked as an important insect 

 enemy of the cacao in the West Indies, where it is known as the "cacao 

 thrips." " Recently it has obtained a foothold in Florida, where at the 

 present time it occurs at several widely separated localities adjacent 

 to the East Coast, attacking principally the mango and avocado. 

 The Ust of food plants of tliis insect embraces a number of difTerent 

 species, and as the cacao, from which its tropical name, the cacao 

 thrips, is derived, is not at present grown to any extent in the United 

 States, the writer has called it the red-banded thrips, one of the most 

 noticeable characteristics of the species being the bright-red cross- 

 band which in all stages decorates the middle of the body. 



The writer, when stationed at Miami, Fla., during 1900, made a few 

 observations on tlus species, and it has seemed best to pubUsh them 

 in this preliminary account, in order that growers may be prepared 

 to combat tliis new enemy, wliich has alreadj^ caused great damage 

 in certain islands of the West Indies, and wliich will, if neglected, 

 undoubtedly prove a serious pest in this country. It is hoped that 

 this paper m;iy serve also to keep the growers of California on their 

 guard, since tlie introduction of tliis thrips might result injuiiously to 

 the culture of the giiava and avocado in that State. 



HISTORY. 



This thrips was first described as Physophus ruhrocinda by August 

 Giard^^, in 1901, from specimens received from Guadeloupe, French 



1 Mr. Charles S. Banks in 1904, in Bui. No. 1, Entomological Division of the Bureau of Government 



Lalioratorics of the Philippines, page 30 and flgs. 32 and 33, records a black thrips as injuring cacao. 

 Tliis thrips, however, as showii by his fi!,'urc, bolon^u's to the suborder Tubulifera and resembles in its 

 injury Mesothrips flcorum Marclial Craw., which causes injury to various species of Ficus in Key West, 

 ( 'uba, and Porto Rico, ^^^lere the leaves of these plants are attacked by this insect they curl up and 

 the insect liides witliin in great numbers. 

 b See Bibliography, j). 28. 



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