Adult females of the banded greenhouse thripsare approximately 1.5mm long and start yellow, but gradually turn brown to black. The abdomen is usually convex and their eyes are red. The wings are grey-brown with three white bands, which are just visible with the naked eye. The legs are yellow, except for parts of the middle- and hindlegs which are brown. Reproduction is mainly parthenogenetic and males are rare. Larvae are white or yellow with red eyes. They can vary in length from 0.48 to 1.5 mm. Larvae, pre-pupae and pupae aggregate on the underside of leaves.

Banded greenhouse thrips damage and distribution

Banded greenhouse thrips can be found on both upper- and underside of leaves. They are not very mobile and even when disturbed they tend to stay in one spot. They puncture leaf cells and suck plant saps. Larvae carry a droplet of feces at the tip of the abdomen. These droplets increase in size until they fall, after which a new droplet is produced. This results in a characteristic damage pattern: silvery spots with dark dots on the leaves.