Skip to main content

Thrips

Idolthrips spectrum

Photo by Leuba Ridgway
Published on Project Noah
Zoom
NominateNominate for Wildlife Photograph of the Month
reportFlag Spotting

-37.8786, 145.252

Field Notes

Description:

Looking very much like a reduviid bug, this small insect had a very flat body with wings crossed over. A dark long prothorax supported a narrow head and what looked like rounded eyes. The rest of the thorax showed a few spikey growths. Antennae had about 5 or 6 segments with slight thickening of the distal part of each segment. Legs that were dark , long with thickened tibia and were held folded on the sidesas if suspending the flat body. At the rear end was what looked like a short dark ovipostior whch the insect could move up, down and sideways. <br>
The insect would have been about 8 mm long, about twice the size of the flea beetle seen on the same leaf (pic3). The insect was intent on feeding or sucking a small part of the leaf, seen in pics 3 & 4 as a small patch devoid of the waxy coating seen on the rest of the leaf.

Habitat:

Spotted on a eucalyptus leaf on tree in a nature reserve.

Notes:

Got an ID at last ! said to be very common but this is the first I have seen. I will have to research further to confirm ID.

Order: Thysanoptera <br>
https://sites.google.com/site/insectsoftasmania/the-insect-orders/thysa…

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment

Sign in to comment
Photographed
PublishedSeptember 29, 2014

Accelerate our Mission to Photograph 
Every Species in the World!

Image
Butterflies icon

Wildlife Community

Wildlife Community

Join a worldwide community passionate about wildlife and nature!

Join Project Noah

Nature School

Nature School

Transform your green space into a curiosity-creating nature classroom!

Visit Nature School

Wildlife Game

Wildlife Game

Defend wildlife throughout the jungle in thrilling nature game!

Play Baboon