Thrips are a major problem in greenhouse horticulture. They can easily overwinter and assault crops early in the season. The eggs of thrips are kidney-shaped and are laid in leaves, flower petals and in the soft parts of stalks. Before a female deposits an egg, she first makes an opening within the plant tissue. After hatching the larva in an instant begins to feed on plant tissue. The first instar larva moults into a 2nd instar larva. This 2nd level larva is bigger and has more color.
At the tip of the second instar, the larva usually falls to the ground to pupate. Pupation occurs in herbal crevices in the floor or decrease leaf surfaces. The prepupal and pupal instars are recognizable by their creating wing buds. The grownup thrips has a fully developed pair of fringed wings.
Thrips reason harm to the plant through piercing the cells of the outside tissues and sucking out their contents, causing the encompassing tissue to die. The ensuing silver-grey patches on leaves and the black dots in their excreta point out their presence in the crop. Thrips are also liable for the transmission of viruses. Luckily they are able to be managed via a variety of natural enemies.