Pest Profile

Thrips
Thysanoptera
  • Nymph to adult thrips
  • Thrips damage to cotton

Management guide

Pest Description

These tiny, barely visible, splinter-like insects are important pests during the first couple of weeks after plants emerge. Thrips are less than 2 millimeters long and vary in color from yellow to brown, gray or black. Adults have two pairs of narrow wings fringed with long hairs. They have rasping-sucking mouth parts, so they rasp the plant tissue and suck the liquids.

Source of information

J.P. Michaud (http://entomology.k-state.edu/extension/insect-information/crop-pests/cotton/thrips.html)

Pest photo source

JP Michaud and Phil Sloderbeck, KSU Entomology