First report of Thrips parvispinus in the Netherlands
The NPPO of the Netherlands recently informed the EPPO Secretariat of the first record of Thrips parvispinus (Thysanoptera: Thripidae – formerly EPPO Alert List) on its territory. In 2019-07-10, the pest was found during an official survey in a greenhouse on potted plants of Ficus benjamina. The origin of the finding is unknown, but the species has been intercepted in several European countries on shipments of cut flowers from Asia. In the Netherlands, T. parvispinus had also been intercepted on plants for planting from Thailand and Indonesia in the past. So far, damage has been minor in the Netherlands and there is uncertainty on the potential presence of the pest in other EU countries (where no phytosanitary measures have been reported). For these reasons, no official phytosanitary measures have been taken in the Netherlands. However, the finding of T. parvispinus has been communicated to growers with the recommendation to take eradication measures in greenhouses if found. The Dutch NPPO also noted that T. parvispinus is a polyphagous pest on mainly vegetable and ornamental crops in different families. It is widespread in South East Asia and has been recorded in Australia and Africa. In the EPPO region, it has been reported in Greece (EPPO RS 2000/061), Spain (EPPO RS 2019/204), and France (EPPO RS 2019/199).
The pest status of Thrips parvispinus in the Netherlands is officially declared as: Present: only in protected cultivation.
Sources
NPPO of the Netherlands (2019-10).