There are 6,000 thrips species in the United States. 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.