Grain Thrips vs Gall-forming Thrips

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Grain Thrips Gall-forming Thrips
Scientific Name Limothrips cerealium Klambothrips myopori
Order Thysanoptera Thysanoptera
Family Thripidae Phlaeothripidae
Size 1.2-1.8 mm 1.0-1.5 mm
Habitat Farmland Beaches & Coastal
Diet Herbivores Gall Makers
Regions Europe, Asia, North America Oceania, North America
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Grain Thrips

A widespread pest of cereal crops including wheat, barley, and oats. Adults are dark brown and migrate in swarms during warm summer days.

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Did You Know?

On hot summer days, grain thrips swarm in enormous numbers and are colloquially known as "thunder bugs" because they seem to appear before storms.

Gall-forming Thrips

A tiny Australian thrips that induces galls on Myoporum plants. It was introduced to California as a biocontrol agent.

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Did You Know?

This thrips was deliberately released in Hawaii and California to control invasive Myoporum trees.