Until recently, Thrips setosus Moulton, 1928 (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) has been regarded as endemic to Japan, occurring in open and greenhouse fields. The thrips causes direct feeding damage as well as transmits Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) to agricultural vegetables and ornamentals. In 2014, it was found on Hydrangea in the Netherlands and then also confirmed as a invasive pest in the other European countries such as France and Germany. Interestingly, Hydrangea originated in Southern and Eastern Asia has not previously been recorded as a host plant. In Korea, since its first discovery in a commercial Hydrangea greenhouse in Gimje, Jeonbuk Province this year, the species was additionally found on the same crop in Jeonnam and Gyeonggi Provinces. Occording to the farmers, all Hydrangea plants has been imported from the Netherlands. Molecular phylogenetic study using COI partial gene strongly suggests that the thrips may have recurrently invaded with infested Hydrangea plants from Europe.

• Gwan-Seok Lee(Crop Protection Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, RDA, Wanju, Korea)
• Bo Yoon Seo(Crop Protection Division, National Institute of Agricultural Sciences, RDA, Wanju, Korea)
• Young Mi Park(Incheon International Airport Regional Office, Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, Incheon, Korea)
• Wonhoon Lee(Department of Applied Biology, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea)