Low temperature mortality and overwintering of the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Thysanoptera: Thripidae)

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Abstract
The UK glasshouses in which the western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) is prevalent offer protection from adverse winter conditions. As such, F. occidentalis may not have been exposed to selection for cold tolerance that would allow successful overwintering in the field. In this study, the cold tolerance of larval and adult F. occidentalis has been assessed in the laboratory. Both age groups show pre-freeze mortality in chronic and acute cold exposures though adults are more cold hardy. Larvae and adults are both able to increase their cold tolerance in response to a combination of lower temperatures and decreased photoperiod. Field experimentation confirmed that F. occidentalis is unlikely to survive for the duration of a harsh UK winter, but a level of cold tolerance that would be adequate for survival in mild winters or for short exposures at sub-zero temperatures was observed.