Rearing method for the sporophagous thrips Bactrothrips brevitubus (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae: Idolothripinae)

Abstract

Mycophagous and particularly sporophagous thrips are difficult to rear under laboratory conditions, and this has been a major constraint in studying the life histories of such thrips in any detail. We developed a rearing method for Bactrothrips brevitubus, a sporophagous Japanese thrips, that can be modified readily to rear other sporophagous species. This method can maintain all developmental stages of the thrips by controlling humidity, temperature and fungal spore density. The method enables rearing over multiple generations, thereby facilitating investigations of the relationship between environmental conditions (e.g. food quantity) and breeding system (e.g. reproductive mode and offspring sex ratio).

Genera of Spore-Feeding Thysanoptera from Southeast Asia (Phlaeothripidae, Idolothripinae), with a species checklist from Peninsular Malaysia

“…The Idolothripinae thus constitute a group of readily available insects in tropical Asia that are well suited for interesting biological as well as ecological studies. Moreover, rearing methods have been developed that can be used to produce laboratory cultures for suitable experimentation (Shibata et al, 2007).…”