One of the Fairyflies and some species of predatory Thrips might be useful as agents of 'Biological Control' for the Greenhouse Thrips.
The Greenhouse Thrips (Heliothrips haemorrhoidalis) – I think you can see the reason for this specific name from the image! - causes a lot of damage to plants and is particularly difficult to control. It has the habit of feeding on pollen inside buds and this tends to protect it from pesticides. Fortunately there are several natural enemies of the Greenhouse Thrips, including one of the Fairyflies (Megaphragma mymaripenne).
Fairyflies.
Fairyflies are not flies at all – they are small parasitic wasps. Megaphragma caribea from Guadeloupe was thought to be the smallest insect on earth until recently. It is only 0.007 inch long! (Now a slightly smaller species has been discovered, well the blind, flightless male of Dicopomorpha echmepterygis is smaller if you count that.) It is difficult to imagine what the world must be like for a creature so small. Fairyflies cannot fly very well in air, but some species are actually able to fly underwater.
I once saw one flying underwater when I was looking carefully for Hydra in a freshwater aquarium I had as a child. I noticed a small ‘jerky’ particle moving through the water close to the glass. When I found a magnifying glass I was able to see its wings and realise that it was actually flying. I was absolutely fascinated, but the rest of the family did not seem to be very impressed! I was never able to identify the species since it soon disappeared into the vastness of the tank – out of reach of the lens. I have never seen one since and would be delighted to hear from any reader who has had a similar experience. (Enter the discussion)
Thrips.
Thrips, also called ‘Thunderbugs’, are also very small insects. Like the Fairyflies they can only ‘fly’ in a limited sense, their wings are more like hairy legs than true wings, and they tend to drift with currents in the air. Many species are considered pest since they feed in a very similar way to Greenfly, but there are others that are carnivorous. Since some of these, such as Franklinothrips vespiformis, will feed on The Greenhouse Thrips they might be of use in Biological Control.
Maybe set a Thrips to catch a Thrips?
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