Thrips, order Thysanoptera, are tiny, slender insects with fringed wings. They feed by puncturing the epidermal (outer) layer of host tissue and sucking out the cell contents, which results in stippling, discolored flecking, or silvering of the leaf surface.

These thrips can be classified on the sub-order level with the help of Foldscope. Tubulifera sub-order thrips have extended abdomen whereas, it is absent in case of Terebrantia sub-order thrips.