Liothrips urichi
Encyclopedia
The Clidemia thrips, Liothrips urichi, is a thrips
species from Trinidad
. It is used as a biological control agent to stop the spread of Clidemia hirta
(Koster's curse), an invasive plant species
that does much damage in many tropical areas of the world.
L. urichi was first employed on Fiji
in 1930. It was introduced and released in Hawai'i
in 1953, where, two months later, it was reproducing on C. hirta and was considered established. This introduction terminated the problem in pasturelands, but C. hirta remains a problem in heavily shaded forests where L. urichi does not normally establish itself.
Infested tips of C. hirta may contain all stages of L. urichi but larva
e tend to cause the most damage. The thrips can control mature C. hirta by attacking young succulent growth causing tip die-back.
Thrips
Thrips are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings . Other common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, and corn lice...
species from Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
. It is used as a biological control agent to stop the spread of Clidemia hirta
Clidemia hirta
Clidemia hirta, commonly called soapbush or Koster's Curse, is a perennial shrub.It is an invasive plant species in many tropical regions of the world, creating serious damage.-Distribution:...
(Koster's curse), an invasive plant species
Invasive species
"Invasive species", or invasive exotics, is a nomenclature term and categorization phrase used for flora and fauna, and for specific restoration-preservation processes in native habitats, with several definitions....
that does much damage in many tropical areas of the world.
L. urichi was first employed on Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
in 1930. It was introduced and released in Hawai'i
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
in 1953, where, two months later, it was reproducing on C. hirta and was considered established. This introduction terminated the problem in pasturelands, but C. hirta remains a problem in heavily shaded forests where L. urichi does not normally establish itself.
Infested tips of C. hirta may contain all stages of L. urichi but larva
Larva
A larva is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into adults. Animals with indirect development such as insects, amphibians, or cnidarians typically have a larval phase of their life cycle...
e tend to cause the most damage. The thrips can control mature C. hirta by attacking young succulent growth causing tip die-back.