Fighting Soldier Thrips vs Banded Greenhouse Thrips

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Fighting Soldier Thrips Banded Greenhouse Thrips
Scientific Name Oncothrips tepperi Hercinothrips femoralis
Order Thysanoptera Thysanoptera
Family Phlaeothripidae Thripidae
Size 1.5-3 mm 1.5-2 mm
Habitat Deserts & Drylands Gardens
Diet Gall Makers Herbivores
Regions Australia Africa, Europe, North America, South America, Asia, Oceania
Conservation Not Evaluated Least Concern

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.

Banded Greenhouse Thrips

A large thrips species with banded wings that infests banana, avocado, and ornamental plants. Originally from Africa, it has spread to greenhouses worldwide.

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Did You Know?

This thrips is one of the largest species in the order and can be identified by the distinctive dark bands across its wings.