Predatory-thrips
Guides
Aeolothrips
Banded Thrips
Aeolothrips is a genus of predatory thrips comprising over 80 described species. Members are characterized by distinctive banded forewings with alternating dark and light transverse stripes. Both adults and larvae are predatory, feeding on small invertebrates including other thrips, mites, aphids, and insect eggs. Some species are recognized as important native predators in agricultural ecosystems and have been evaluated for biological control programs against pest thrips such as Thrips tabaci.
Franklinothrips
Franklinothrips is a pantropical genus of predatory thrips in the family Aeolothripidae, comprising 14 recognized species. The genus is distinguished by striking ant-mimicry, particularly in females, which exhibit fast-running behavior and body forms resembling ants or bethylid wasps. Most species are bisexual with localized distributions, though F. vespiformis is notably unisexual and widespread. Several species have been developed as biological control agents against pest thrips in greenhouses and agricultural systems.
Franklinothrips vespiformis
Vespiform Thrips, Vespiform Thrip
Franklinothrips vespiformis is a predatory thrips species in the family Aeolothripidae, notable for its ant-mimicking adult morphology and distinctive red, humped-back larvae. It is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide and has been extensively studied as a biological control agent for various agricultural and greenhouse pests. The species exhibits myrmecomorphy—mimicking ants in appearance and fast, erratic movement behavior—which likely serves as a defense against predation. It is primarily parthenogenetic, with males being rare.
Scolothrips
six-spotted thrips
Scolothrips is a genus of predatory thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) established by Hinds in 1902. Species within this genus are obligate predators of spider mites (Tetranychidae) and related mite families (Tenuipalpidae). The genus includes economically important species such as S. longicornis and S. sexmaculatus, which have been studied for biological control potential. Some species show apparent host specificity, while others feed on multiple mite prey species. Development, reproduction, and survival are strongly influenced by environmental factors including temperature and photoperiod.