Arctic Thrips vs Six-spotted Thrips
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Arctic Thrips | Six-spotted Thrips |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Aptinothrips rufus | Scolothrips sexmaculatus |
| Order | Thysanoptera | Thysanoptera |
| Family | Thripidae | Thripidae |
| Size | 0.5-1.5 mm | 0.8-1.0 mm |
| Habitat | Tundra & Arctic | Farmland |
| Diet | Sap Feeders | Predators |
| Regions | Arctic and subarctic worldwide, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, northern Canada | North America, Europe |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Not Evaluated |
Arctic Thrips
A tiny, wingless thrips that feeds on grasses in Arctic and subarctic habitats. Its brown body is barely visible without magnification. Populations reproduce parthenogenetically in the Arctic where males are absent.
Did You Know?
This thrips can reproduce without males through parthenogenesis, a useful adaptation in Arctic habitats where finding a mate would be difficult.
Six-spotted Thrips
A tiny predatory thrips with three dark spots on each forewing. It is a valuable natural enemy of spider mites in agriculture.
Did You Know?
A single six-spotted thrips can destroy over 100 spider mite eggs per day.