Various species
- Symptoms: Thrips are small (1 mm long), brown or black insects with a tapering, segmented abdomen. They have piercing and sucking mouthparts and usually have two pairs of narrow wings. They are usually found behind the sheath of the flag leaf, feeding on the stem (see picture). However, leaves, stems, and spikes may be attacked. Adults and nymphs both can cause damage and, if present in large numbers, may cause the tissue on which they are feeding to take on a silver coloration.
- Life Cycle: Eggs are inserted into or attached to host tissue. The generation time is very short, and there may be 10 or more generations per year. Heavy rains will usually destroy a high proportion of the population.
- Host/Distribution: Several thrips species live exclusively on cereals, and on forage or weed grasses.
- Importance: Thrips rarely cause serious damage, and it is unusual to find infestations at such a level as to warrant control.
