Australia's national strategy for the management of western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande)

Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis, (Pergande) was discovered in Australia in April 1993 and within two years had become a major pest in strawberries and other crops. It has proven difficult to control because of the lack of effective registered insecticides on strawberries in Australia, poor understanding of the relationship between pest density and damage, and inadequate management strategies. A national strategy for the management of WFT was initiated in 1994 to: monitor WFT dispersal, evaluate existing and new insecticides, monitor insecticide resistance, develop indigenous biological control agents, and implement technology transfer to producers.