Cuban Laurel Thrips vs Fighting Soldier Thrips

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Cuban Laurel Thrips Fighting Soldier Thrips
Scientific Name Gynaikothrips ficorum Oncothrips tepperi
Order Thysanoptera Thysanoptera
Family Phlaeothripidae Phlaeothripidae
Size 2.5-3.0 mm 1.5-3 mm
Habitat Woodlands Deserts & Drylands
Diet Herbivores Gall Makers
Regions Asia, North America, South America, Oceania Australia
Conservation Not Evaluated Not Evaluated

Cuban Laurel Thrips

A large dark thrips that causes leaf rolling on Ficus species. Colonies live inside the rolled leaves they create.

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Did You Know?

Entire colonies of hundreds of individuals live communally inside a single rolled fig leaf.

Fighting Soldier Thrips

A eusocial Australian thrips that forms colonies inside galls on Acacia trees with distinct reproductive and soldier castes. Soldiers patrol the gall and attack intruding insects.

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Did You Know?

They are one of only about a dozen thrips species worldwide known to have evolved true eusociality with a soldier caste.