They cause various types of mechanical injury to the fruiting structures. Jack Reed specks, raised blisters and cat-facing. Western flower, tobacco and onion thrips transmit tomato spotted wilt viruses on several crops. This is the more significant damage caused by thrips. Some of the crops affected severely by TSWV are tobacco, peanut, tomato and pepper.
Thrips have a unique life cycle.
The adult lays her eggs in plant tissue. The pupae emerge as winged adults and migrate back to the plants or out of the field. The entire cycle from egg to adult requires from 12 to 16 days. Thrips can be controlled with insecticides even though western flower thrips is tolerant of several insecticides and is the most difficult one of the three species to control. Each crop has different treatment thresholds.