Frankliniella fusca (Hinds), the tobacco thrips,
occurs throughout the United States, but is especially common
in grasslands and in peanut growing areas.
The female tobacco thrips is dark brown with no other markings.
Males and females that have recently emerged from pupae
are a paler brown or gray color.
The antennae have eight segments.
The apex of antennal segment II and the pedicel
of segment III are both simple. The postocular
setae are minute.
The anteroangular and anteromarginal
setae are well developed, with the anteromarginal shorter than
the anteroangular. Winged and wingless (brachypterous) forms occur.
Brachypterous forms are most common in the overwintering population
of adults.
The comb on abdominal segment
VIII is absent.
The tobacco thrips infests a wide range of host
plants including peanuts, beans, tomatoes, peppers, tobacco and
cotton (Frantz & Mellinger 1990, Palmer, et al. 1989, Stannard
1968).
Tobacco thrips are efficient vectors of tomato spotted wilt virus (Sakimura 1963, Paliwal 1973, 1976) (tomato
, peanut). They overwinter in the root zones of volunteer peanuts, and potentially can re-introduce the disease each spring. In peanut growing areas, migrations from infected volunteers early in the spring may introduce TSWV into nearby vegetable crops. In established peanut crops, tobacco thrips may migrate in large numbers during drought stress conditions, thus providing a greater threat of disease spread (Chamberlin, et al. 1992, 1993; Salguero Navas, et al. 1991, Tappan 1986).