Thrips are small phytophagous insects of the order thysanoptera. Many thrips are economically important as serious pests of cultivated plants, since they injure or destroy the plants in feeding and breeding activities.
Thrips occur in every part of the world where plants grow. In addition to inflicting injury directly by extracting plant sap or juice, some thrips transmit virus diseases of plants. Some may bite man and cause dermatitis. Their main importance, though, is as plant pests: vegetables and fruit trees are especially subject to damage by these insects.