Oak Pinhole Borer vs Lily Thrips

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Oak Pinhole Borer Lily Thrips
Scientific Name Platypus cylindrus Liothrips vaneeckei
Order Coleoptera Thysanoptera
Family Curculionidae Phlaeothripidae
Size 4-6 mm 1.8-2.5 mm
Habitat Gardens Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Europe Europe, North America, Asia
Conservation Least Concern Not Evaluated

Oak Pinhole Borer

A tiny ambrosia beetle that bores into oak trees and cultivates fungal gardens inside its tunnels. The only European species of its subfamily. Males guard the tunnel entrance.

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Did You Know?

One of the few farming insects in Europe, cultivating fungal crops inside tunnels bored into oak wood.

Lily Thrips

A dark, stout thrips that damages lily bulbs in storage and in the field. It feeds between bulb scales causing brown sunken spots.

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Did You Know?

Lily thrips can remain hidden deep between bulb scales, making them extremely difficult to detect during inspection.