Widespread distribution. On food legumes, e.g., cowpea, French bean. Probably, minor pest in Pacific islands.
Infests the flowers. Pods twist and deform, and show brown feeding marks. Large numbers cause poor pod set, stunting, wilts. Not known to spread virus.
Nymphs yellow, later orange-red. Adults greyish-brown with striped abdomen.
Adults and nymphs spread on air currents.
Cultural control: crop rotation with non-legume crops; avoid planting next to infested crops; intercrop with non-hosts, e.g., capsicum between yard-long beans; weed; in small plantings, hose plants with jets of water to remove thrips; after harvest, destroy trash.
Chemical control: pesticides not recommended; synthetic pyrethroids or malathion will kill natural enemies; also, difficult to reach inside flowers. If necessary, try botanical sprays (derris, chilli, garlic, neem), or horticultural oil, white oil, or soap solution (see Fact Sheet no. 56).