Wings are laid back over the body while at rest. The head has compound eyes and less noticeable, simple eyes. Mouthparts are rasping-sucking. Nymphs are creamy white and wingless. Eggs are laid on the tissues of plants or inserted into plants.
Magnification is required for best identification.
Plant injury is caused by both nymphs and adults rasping the bud, flower and leaf tissues of the host plants, and then sucking the exuding sap. This causes distorted and discolored flowers or buds and gray or silvery, speckled areas on the leaves. Gladiolus thrips also feed on the corms in storage, causing russeted areas and lowering vigor, which retards growth and makes the flowers smaller. After successful mating, eggs are laid on plants with the young developing to maturity in about two or more weeks. The number of generations produced each year depends on the thrips species, temperature and other climatic factors.