Pollen‐feeding in thrips (Insecta: Thysanoptera)

Abstract

Eight species of thrips in three families fed readily on individual grains of pollen. Feeding behaviour is described. Thrips fed on the contents of the grains, but left the pollen wall. In Thrips fuscipennis Halid., the feeding time per grain increased in direct proportion to grain volume up to a grain volume of about 60,000 μm'. but then began to level off. Large grains and tetrads were usually abandoned before all the contents were removed. Mean feeding times ranged from 3 s to 120 s per grain. Thrips appeared to have alternate periods of feeding and non‐feeding. Drops of fluid were sometimes deposited from the end of the abdomen after non‐feeding periods. Large amounts of pollen can be consumed; one thrips fed on more than 100 pollen grains in less than 15 min. Pollen‐feeding appears to be widespread among flower thrips. The implications for pollination ecology are discussed.