Adult orchidthrips are yellow to light–brown colored, 0.8mm to 1.3mm long and 0.15 mm wide. The female has relatively large red to purple eyes. Wings are light brown with two dark brown bands, one at the base and one halfway of the wings. The legs are lightly colored and antennae are light with dark bands. Young stages are light–yellow to light–orange colored and wingless.

Orchid thrips damage and distribution

Orchid thrips mainly occur on leaves and buds. This species is not very mobile and likes to hide under petioles or between leaves. Eggs are deposited inside the leaves. Young thrips will remain close to the hatching site and barely move to other places. This results in clusters of thrips. Adult thrips and young thrips feed on leaves and inside buds. Their feeding damage results in a kind of rust, orange-brown coloring. Damaged buds will show deformations. Orchid thrips mainly cause cosmetic damage. Virus transmission by this species is not recorded.