![Thrips are tiny winged insects that feed chiefly on plants. Many species damage cultivated plants, by either sucking the sap or transmitting viral plant diseases. Thrips reach a maximum length of about half an inch. Most have two pairs of long, narrow, hair-fringed wings.](https://secure.caes.uga.edu/news/multimedia/images/1491/thripscloseuplr.jpg)
Thrips Damage
A tiny insect proved to be a formidable foe for Georgia farmers in 2013.
Whether thrips will deliver a similar punch in 2014 remains to be seen. There are more than 7,000 species of thrips, but only two cause problems for Georgia farmers and UGA researchers — tobacco thrips and western flower thrips.