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Abstract
The effects of pine pollen supplementation on reproduction in Frankliniella occidentalis (western flower thrips) and F. fusca (tobacco thrips) were investigated. For the first objective, pollen and thrips counts were taken in Tift Co., Georgia, USA, during years 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Overall years combined showed significant positive correlation between pollen counts and thrips counts after a two week delay, or roughly one thrips generation time. For the second objective, bioassay methods analyzed F. occidentalis and F. fusca reproduction with and without pine pollen supplementation. A cage bioassay on tobacco yielded significantly higher mean offspring production per leaf on the pollen treatment. For the third objective, a micro caged onion bioassay was used for life table analysis of tobacco thrips. Frankliniella fusca mean net reproduction was significantly higher on onion with pollen supplementation. Results of all three objectives suggest that pine pollen stimulates F. occidentalis and F. fusca reproduction.