Center for Systematic Entomology, Gainesville, Florida
Date of this Version
3-31-2022
Citation
Orozco J. 2022. Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), first record of an important new pest in Honduras. Insecta Mundi 0923: 1–4.
Abstract
Megalurothrips usitatus Bagnall (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), an invasive and highly destructive pest of beans, is recorded for the first time for Honduras. The species is illustrated to aid in its identification. Specimens were collected from Phaseolus vulgaris L. (common bean), Crotalaria juncea L. (sunn hemp), and Melampodium divaricatum (Rich.) DC (butter daisy).
Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L., (Fabaceae)), are a staple food source in Honduran cuisine, as they are eaten at least once daily by the majority of the population. This crop is a large part of the economy of the country and the only source of income for many small producers. In 2021, there were multiple reports of thrips damage, unusual for this crop, around the country, including some claiming complete losses in the Danlí area (El Paraíso). An unprecedented amount of damage caused by thrips was also observed at the end of 2021 in El Zamorano, Francisco Morazán. Similar scenarios were reported in other areas in Honduras (Olancho). Traditional control measurements were not successful at managing the outbreak.
Comments
Published on March 31, 2022 by Center for Systematic Entomology, Inc. P.O. Box 141874 Gainesville, FL 32614-1874 USA http://centerforsystematicentomology.org/
Copyright held by the author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons, Attribution Non-Commercial License