简介：Tosurviveinnature,organismsmayneedtotakedirectactiontomitigatespecificdangersfromtheirenvironmentalsurroundings.Tinyflyinginsectsarethoughttobeatparticularriskfromrainfallthatwouldbeofnegligibleconcerntolargeranimals.ThestudyspeciesFrankliniellaschultzeiisathripsthatinhabitsflowersandfeedsmostlyonpetaltissueandpollen.Whilefoundtorespondinthelaboratorytodecreasesinatmosphericpressureassociatedwithcyclonicconditions(ratherthanmerelyheavyrainfall),theirresponsestoconditionsprecedingrainfallhavenotbeentestedinthefield.Initialfieldsamplinginvestigatedtherelationshipbetweenfloraldevelopmentandsitesatwhichmale,female,andlarvalthripsweregenerallypresentonsunnydays.Wethendesignedasamplingstrategytotestifthesethripscananticipateimminentrainfallorstormsandsoseekshelterdeepwithinflowers,bysamplinghostflowers(insections)onmultipledayswithdifferentweatherconditions.Stickytrapswereusedtointerceptthripsinflight,thusprovidingameasureofflightbehavioracrossdifferentdays.Theinitialsamplingfoundadultthripsprimarilyatthepetalapexofanthesis-stageflowerswherepollenisdistributed.Wesubsequentlyfoundthatrainfall,atmosphericpressurechange,temperature,humidityandwindhadnoeffectonflightbehaviorofEschultzei,orontheirpositionswithinflowers.Thesefindingssuggestrainfallisnotaserioushazardforthem.Perhapsthripscansurviveraindropcollisionsduringflight,asimpactswithwaterdropletsarenotexpectedtobreakthesurfacetension.