The adult pear thrips has a slender brownish body and is 1.2-1.5 mm long with a yellow to orange subintegumental segment. Its head is swollen behind the eyes and has red pigmented ocelli. Antennal segments V and VI are broadly jointed, the third segment is yellowish brown. Tarsi are yellowish-brown and the fore tarsi have an apical tooth adapted for digging.
Wings are long, narrow, and fringed with long hairs.
The fore wings are brown and the hind wings are pale. Only female pear thrips are known to occur in North America. Eggs are laid mainly in the petioles of blossoms and leaves as soon as buds open. Small brown scars develop soon after eggs are laid. Young pear thrips are small and white with red eyes.