Thrips of the Sagebrush-Grass Range Community in West-Central Utah

Abstract

Twenty species of thrips (Thysanoptera) were collected from big sagebrush, rubber rabbitbrush, antelope bitterbrush, and crested wheatgrass on west-central Utah sagebrush-grass rangelands. Twelve species of thrips were collected from crested wheatgrass, 10 from rubber rabbitbrush, 10 from big sagebrush, and three from antelope bitterbrush. Three species (Anaphothrips tricolor, Chirothrips aculeatus and Chirothrips simplex) were new distribution records for Utah. Thrips damage was not apparent to any of the host species examined during this study, but Anaphothrips zeae, Aptinothrips rufus, and Frankliniella occidentalis are potential pests of range species and merit further study.