The Avocado: Its Insect Enemies. 19 
THE AVOCADO BLOSSOM THRIPS. 
During the blossoming period the avocado is visited by a destruc- 
tive flower thrips.° In structural appearance this thrips resembles 
most other blossom or flower thrips. It averages about a millimeter 
(one twenty-fifth inch) in length and in general color it is pale yel- 
low. The species was first collected in the mountains at Guadalajara, 
Fig. 14.—The avocado blossom thrips: Showing egg punctures and emergence holes 
caused by adult thrips in petioles of avocado bloom. 
Mexico, on a small native acacialike plant. How it gained entrance 
to this country is not known. 
CHARACTER OF INJURY. 
The West Indian varieties of avocado seem to be its favorite hosts, 
particularly the Pollock and related sorts, although the Guatemalan 
varieties are also attacked during the blooming period. The thrips 
work extensively in the flowers, and as they gradually increase they 
deposit eggs in great numbers in the stems bearing the flower cluster 
and also in the petioles of the individual flowers (fig. 14). In so 
doing the petioles supporting the individual flowers are much weak- 
6 Frankliniella cephalicus Craw. 
