PestPRO

#542 Found Inside Des Moines, IA Home

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This Bug Identified By:

Christy LeDuc

3,000 Points

Bug Identified As:

Possible Thrip (Order Thysanoptera) Damage to Leaf

Information:

Thrips, order Thysanoptera, are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings. They feed by puncturing the epidermal (outer) layer of host tissue and sucking out the cell contents, which results in stippling, discolored flecking, or silvering of the leaf surface. Thrips feeding is usually accompanied by black varnishlike flecks of frass (excrement). Pest species are plant feeders that discolor and scar leaf, flower, and fruit surface.

Source:
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html

Location:
Inside Des Moines, IA Home
Plant leaves

Is the bug harmful?: no

Can it infest into your home?: no

What should I do about this bug?:

Although thrips damage is unsightly, it does not usually warrant the use of insecticides in gardens and landscapes. Feeding injury typically does not become apparent until after tissue grows and expands.