THYSANOPTERA: THRIPS
Definition
- Minute, dark, flattened, slender-bodied. Antennae short. Two pairs of wings with fringes, or wingless.
- Piercing, sap-sucking mouthparts.
- Incomplete life cycle: egg, larva looking like adults, and then adult.
What they do & where they live
- Most live by sucking sap from plants. They are found particularly in flowers. Whilst some species can reach pest numbers, they compensate by contributing to flower pollination.
- They are widespread in the wild but generally go un-noticed
Number of species
- In Britain about 185 species in the wild (plus about 11 species accidentally introduced ones in glass houses etc.).
- Worldwide 4,100 species are known.
