Arthropod pests
Thrips
Small, slender insects whose feeding can leave silvery or pale scars, distorted tissue, and dark fecal specks. Species and life cycles vary, so identification should be based on the organism as well as damage.
What to look for
- Silvery, scraped, or pale feeding scars
- Small dark fecal specks near feeding damage
- Slender mobile insects in flowers, new growth, or leaf surfaces
- Distortion when young tissue is attacked
Important look-alikes
- Spider mite stippling
- Mechanical abrasion
- Spray injury
How to confirm
- Use magnification to locate insects
- Tap foliage over a light-colored surface or inspect sticky cards as a monitoring aid
- Check flowers and growing tips in addition to mature leaves
Management principles
- Base management on confirmed presence and life stage
- Combine sanitation, exclusion, monitoring, and compatible biological or other controls
- Continue monitoring after visible injury stops because damage can outlast the insects that caused it
Prevention
- Screen and quarantine incoming material
- Control weeds and alternate hosts near production areas
- Use clean tools and workflow separation
Visual study guide
- Adult and immature thrips plate
- Feeding-scar close-up
- Fecal-speck comparison
- Thrips versus mite damage panel