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Audrey Kali Photography
To see close what you always see but never really see. . .
THYSANOPTERA
The name of this order is from the Greek “thysanos” meaning fringe and “ptera” meaning wings. An interesting “fringe” is on each wing. Thrips can be found on flowers, leaf litter, and fungi all over the world. Gardeners and farmers consider thrips destructive pests of plants, grains, fruits, and vegetables; however, some thrips are beneficial since they can control mites and other invasive small insects. I would have not known about the existence of these insects unless I looked closely at some daisies in a field that had dark specks in the center. Usually one may just assume they are bits of dust or dirt debris, and I am sure I have “seen” them my whole life but didn’t know what I was looking at. We are fortunate to have the technology to see the small natural world that otherwise remains invisible and misunderstood.