Subclass Pterygota:
Pterous (winged) insects, develop by metamorphosis
Division Exopterygota
(exo = outer; pteron = wing)
Hemipteroid orders
(hemi = half; pteron = wing)
Order Thysanoptera
(thysanos = fringe; pteron = wing)
COMMON NAME: Thrips
QUICK DESCRIPTION: Thrips are tiny insects that live on plants. Some species have wings that are fringed with long hairs, and other species are wingless. Thrips have slim bodies, short antennae, short legs (sometimes with claws), small eyes, and chewing and sucking mouthparts (so they can chew through plant tissue and suck out the juices). Some species are pests and destroy crops, but others are predators, eating insects, moth eggs and mites on plants.
MINUTE DETAILS: Minute to small slender-bodied insects; head with short six- to nine-segmented antennae, asymmetrical suctorial mouthparts, small but prominent compound eyes, ocelli present or absent; prothorax large and free, legs with unsegmented or two-segmented tarsi and terminal eversible vesicles, wings when present are narrow and fringed with long setae; external genitalia variable, cerci always absent.
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