This sword-like mandible is extruded when the mouth cone is compressed on plant tissue. Saliva lubricates the mouthparts and causes some external digestion to occur. The extruded mandible slashes open epidermal cells. The contents of the opened cells are then sucked in through the cone. Thrips are important pests of ornamental plants because of the physical damage caused by their feeding activities to tissues of developing and mature flowers and leaves.
Thrips also feed on pollen and some species are predaceous.
In addition, thrips can vector disease. Thrips adults and larvae are thigmotactic, preferring to hide in complex plant parts, flower buds and other folded tissue where they are difficult to detect and to reach with insecticides. One female can lay 150 to 300 eggs. Within hours the larvae molt to the second instar. At 68 o F, the WFT takes about 19 days to develop from egg to adult, and the adult can live for about 57 days.