DEMOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS OF FRANKLINIELLA-OCCIDENTALIS (PERGANDE) (THYSANOPTERA, THRIPIDAE)

In less than 3 years (1986-1988) Frankliniella occidentalis, imported from USA, had spread throughout Europe. It is a polyphagous Thysanopte ra which causes important yield loss in greenhouses, in both vegetable and ornamental crops. Ho Never, insufficient data are available on it s basic biology. The purpose of this work was thus to establish its li fe table. A cohort of 95 individuals were observed day during their wh ole lifetime. The development time is short, 14.2 days, and no signifi cant difference has been observed between males and females. The mean fecundity is high, as 43.17 larvae were produced by a single female. T he intrinsic rate of natural increase is 0.140, meaning that the theor etical population may double in 4.94 days.