WFT has an extremely wide host range including weeds, floricultural crops, field crops, and tree crops. This species is a vector of tomato spotted wilt virus. Larvae are smaller and wingless, but otherwise resemble adults.
Thrips generally move quickly to shelter when disturbed.
Little is known about WFT biology in the eastern states. Research conducted in 1992 at Penn State showed that WFT adults emerged from soil overwintering sites in May after most stone fruit bloom was complete. The WFT population built up on weeds, especially clover, in and around orchards throughout the season. Density of adult WFT in water traps peaked in July through September in stone fruit orchards in south-central Pennsylvania in 1992. The generation time of this species requires about 250 DD50.