Thrips, also commonly known as storm flies, storm bugs, thunderflies, thunderbugs, thunderblights, corn flies, corn lice, and physopods, are small insects that belong to the order Thysanoptera. There are approximately 6,000 known species of thrips, all distinguishable by developmental, morphological, as well as behavioural characteristics.
Thrips are also commonly known as storm flies, storm bugs, thunderflies, thunderbugs, corn flies, and corn lice, and are small insects that belong to the order Thysanoptera. They feed on a variety of small animals and plants, which they puncture and whose insides they consume.
Many thrips are pests of commercial crops due to the damage caused by feeding on developing flowers or vegetables, causing discolouration, deformities, and reduced marketability of the crop. Thrips may also serve as vectors for plant diseases, such as Tospoviruses.
Thrip are slender insects with fringed wings and unique asymmetrical mouthparts. Different thrips species feed on a large variety of plants and animals, puncturing them and sucking up the contents. Approximately 6,000 species have been described. Many thrips species are pests of commercially important crops. A few species serve as vectors for over 20 viruses that cause plant disease. Some species of thrips are beneficial as they feed on other insects or mites. In the right conditions, such as in greenhouses, many species can exponentially increase in population size and form large swarms because of a lack of natural predators, making them an irritation to humans.