Insects, considered a quarantine object in the Russian Federation (flower thrips) have been found at the phytosanitary control post in Krasnoznamensk not far from Moscow. The infected flowers were destroyed, announced the press service of the department of Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance at Moscow city, Moscow and Tula regions.
The specialists of the department have discovered western (Californian) thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis Perg.) in a batch of gypsophila in the amount of 425 pieces, that arrived from Italy on November 25, 2018.
“The presence of the live quarantine object was confirmed by the laboratory tests, conducted by the specialists of the All-Russian center of plant quarantine. The infected flowers were destroyed in accordance with the phytosanitary requirements of the Russian Federation”, reads the press release.
Western (Californian) thrips is an extremely dangerous pest and has been located on over 250 kinds of plants. Nymphs and grown insects feed on plants leaves and flowers. The damaged leaves and flowers get covered with silvery stripes, necrotic spots of irregular or round shape and gradually fade away.