#3124 - Fam. Phlaeothripidae - Tube-tailed Thrips
Another insect shaken out of the trees in front of the hotel.
Fairly average in appearance for a Thrips (singular and plural), although perhaps towards the larger end of the spectrum. Note the conical head, short and somewhat clumsy legs, and feathery wings. The name of the Order, Thysanoptera, refers to the fringe on the wings.
Common names for thrips include thunderflies, thunderbugs, storm flies, thunderblights, storm bugs, corn fleas, corn flies, corn lice, freckle bugs, harvest bugs, and physopods (the later refers to the bladder-like tips to the tarsi of the legs).
Some 3,400 species are described in this family, and many are tropical fungivores. Most thrips eat fungus, some are predatory, but a few are agricultural pests, and some are gall-formers.
The largest thrips - Idolothrips marginatus - is in this family and can reach a bodylength of up to 14 mm.
We also saw these other thrips in abundance, doing what thrips are well-known for doing - descending in swarms on anything yellow. These other ones are probably in the other suborder of thrips, however.
Great Southern BioBlitz 2024, Wongan Hills
