Banded-wing Thrips vs American Owlfly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Banded-wing Thrips American Owlfly
Scientific Name Aeolothrips fasciatus Ululodes quadripunctatus
Order Thysanoptera Neuroptera
Family Aeolothripidae Ascalaphidae
Size 1.5-2.0 mm 20-30 mm body, 50-65 mm wingspan
Habitat Farmland Meadows
Diet Predators Predators
Regions North America North America
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

Banded-wing Thrips

A predatory thrips with dark-banded wings commonly found on crop plants. It preys on pest thrips, mites, and small insects.

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Did You Know?

Banded-wing thrips are among the most important natural enemies of pest thrips in North American alfalfa fields.

American Owlfly

A dragonfly-like neuropteran with split eyes and long knobbed antennae. It catches small insects on the wing during twilight flights.

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Did You Know?

Its eyes are divided into upper and lower halves, allowing it to see both above and below simultaneously.