The male is similar to the female thrips, but slightly smaller. The eggs are very small, banana-shaped, and white. Both instars have red eyes. The pupa and prepupa do not move about freely. These stages are yellowish with red eyes.
Pupae are slightly larger, with longer wing pads, and antennae bent back over body.
They become darker with age. Although the greenhouse thrips is limited to tropical areas outside, it is found throughout the world in greenhouses. This thrips probably originated in Central and South America. The greenhouse thrips has over 100 hosts, principally greenhouse and ornamental plants, but also a few crops and tropical plants. Some of the hosts are azalea, begonia, croton, cyclamen, ferns, fuschia, grape vines, orchids, palm, and rose.