Thrips are tiny insects—their sizes range between 0.5mm and 15mm in length and many are shorter than 5mm. But the damage they cause to crops is anything but small. A 2021 research paper found that in Indonesia “the damage to red chili plants caused by thrips infestation ranges now from 20% to 80%”. In India, various thrips infestations in the late 2010s and early 2020s “damaged 40%–85% of chili pepper crops in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.” Thrips are tiny insects—their sizes range between 0.5mm and 15mm in length and many are shorter than 5mm. But the damage they cause to crops is anything but small. A 2021 research paper found that in Indonesia “the damage to red chili plants caused by thrips infestation ranges now from 20% to 80%”. In India, various thrips infestations in the late 2010s and early 2020s “damaged 40%–85% of chili pepper crops in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.” Paleontology & Fossils Phys.org – latest science and technology news stories
The first fossil thrips in Africa: this tiny insect pest met its end in a volcanic lake 90 million years ago
