The composite thrips is a new world thrips found throughout most of North America. It is an occasional inhabitant of greenhouses throughout the southeastern United States. Adults and larvae usually are found in the flowers and are rarely found on the foliage. Composite thrips occurs in great abundance on flowers of chrysanthemum, cosmos, zinnia, and marigold. Heavy infestations cause damage to the corolla, stamens, and developing seed of plants in the Compositae.
Petals lose pigmentation, senesce early, and drop prematurely.
The life cycle requires 11 to 13 days at 27 C. Eggs hatch in 72 to 80 hours. The first and second instars last about 3 days each, the prepupal stage requires 24 hours or less, and the pupal stage varies from 24 to 48 hours. Eggs are laid inside the tissue of the disc floret. Females are 15 times more numerous than males. Reproduction is both sexual and parthenogenetic.