Order Thysanoptera: Interaction with flower of the Asteraceae Family

Multiple Thrips (Order Thysanoptera) seen engulfed in liquid collecting at the inner base of the petals in Dimorphotheca caulescens
Communal pollination/ feeding by this Order of Insects from Asters is well documented on iNat, but as of yet this is the 1st record of such a mass gathering/ communal feeding resulting in large scale mortality
Questions:
1.) Is this indeed a mass mortality of Thrips on this flower, or some other event (e.g. mass ovipositing in unique micro-niche [liquid collection])
1.) Is such an event among Thrips during communal feeding, such as in this instance, a common occurence?
2) Are such events restricted to just this species, Genus, or Family of flower? Equally, are they restricted to just this one geographical area (Koppie), or does it have a broader range of occurence?

Further reading:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318982877_Pollination_Potential_of_Thrips_Insecta_Thysanoptera_-_an_overview

Posted on July 24, 2020 05:48 PM by