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).