thrips

Thrips are tiny insects of the order Thysanoptera, measuring about 1–2 mm in length. They are slender with narrow bodies and fringed wings, and occur worldwide in a range of habitats, especially on flowering plants and crops. The order is divided into two suborders: Terebrantia, which possess a blade-like ovipositor, and Tubulifera, whose females end with a tubular abdomen.

Most thrips feed by piercing plant cells and sucking out the contents, producing stippling, silvery scarring, leaf distortions, or flower damage. They are often polyphagous on herbaceous and woody plants. Some species are vectors of plant viruses, notably tospoviruses such as tomato spotted wilt virus, which can cause serious crop losses.

Thrips undergo a simple metamorphosis. Eggs are laid in plant tissue and hatch into two larval instars; these feed before entering non-feeding prepupal and pupal stages, usually in leaf litter or soil, then emerge as adults. Some species reproduce by parthenogenesis, enabling rapid population growth in favorable conditions. Winged and wingless forms may occur.

Management relies on integrated pest management: monitoring with yellow sticky traps, regular scouting, sanitation and removal of infested plant material, protective enclosures in greenhouses, and beneficial predators such as Orius species and certain mites. Where needed, selective insecticides may be used, with attention to resistance management. Cultural practices and resistant plant varieties also help reduce thrips pressure.