Thrips, order Thysanoptera, are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings. Thrips are a common garden pest that feed on and infect a variety of different plants. Therefore it is critical to scout for live insects. The nasty creatures can look like tiny black slivers lurking under leaves. Species of thrips can feed on fungi, plants, and other insects depending on their classification. The left mandible is used briefly to cut into the food plant; saliva is injected and the maxillary stylets, which form a tube, are then inserted and the semi-digested food pumped from ruptured cells. Thrips are a major pest of greenhouse crops in Ontario. Thrips have asymmetrical mouthparts unique to the group. However, the types of thrips that infest houseplants are usually 0.04” (1 mm) long. Thrips are technically a less common insect pest, but I've found that they are most prevalent in my household. Because of their minute size, thrips are incredibly challenging to spot. Many species can complete a generation in just 2 weeks. For example, Cuban Laurel thrips are best controlled by minute pirate bugs and green lacewing larvae. Thrips species can be difficult to differentiate in the field, and virus symptoms may resemble other problems. and thrips thrips management is the only option for virus control. If thrips injury is found, inspect a portion of these seedlings for live thrips. Citrus thrips are better control by Euseiues mites. Try using Safer ® Brand Insect Killing Soap to prevent the infestation of thrips and keep your plants looking healthy all season long. Garden soil, which is loose and easy to burrow into, is a particular thrip favorite. Generally, though, thrips hibernate in soil through the winter. If you suspect you have a thrips and/or thrips vectored pest problem, remember that it is important to have the thrips species and the virus identified. Browse Thrips Species A. Acanthothrips albivittatus; Acanthothrips argentifer; Acanthothrips nodicornis; Adraneothrips ephippium; Adraneothrips faustus; Adraneothrips saturatus In addition, certain types of thrips can spread fatal plant viruses, including the tomato spotted wilt or impatiens necrotic spot. Thrips may also leave excrement on plants. They feed by puncturing the epidermal (outer) layer of host tissue and sucking out the cell contents, which results in stippling, discolored flecking, or silvering of the leaf surface. Thrips feeding is usually accompanied by black varnishlike flecks of frass (excrement). A number of thrips species are commonly found including western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), eastern flower thrips (Frankliniella tritici), onion thrips (Thrips tabaci), and Echinothrips. There are several different species of thrips, and the exact lifecycle and how they thrips damage plants depends on the species. 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