author(s)
Ekrem Atakan, Murat Ölçülü, Serkan Pehlivan, Okan Özgür

abstract
Abundance, distribution of thrips species occurring on citrus as well as damage level of western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is studied in Yenice, Tarsus, Turkey during 2013-2014. As a result, 10 different thrips species were investigated. Thrips fauna was dominated by the F. occidentalis having 98.25% of total adult of the thrips population. The coefficient of determination (r²) of Taylor indices ranged from 0.62 and 0.92 for larvae and 0.43 and 0.92 for adult F. occidentalis. The values coefficient b of Taylor were always less than 1 (two-tailed t test, P < 0.0001), indicating a regular population distribution. Majority of larval or adult F. occidentalis was detected in flowers. The highest thrips densities with mean of 6 or 7 individuals (larvae+adult) per flower in nontreated plots did not cause any damage to flowering parts or developing fruits. Spraying of citrus lemon against thrips is not warranted.