The eastern flower thrips, I, is a tiny, yellow to brown insect less than 1/16 inch long. Adults are attracted to flowers of many different plants; their rasping feeding causes premature wilting of flower parts and blossom drop, as well as fruit deformities in some crops. Although Stannard (1968) reported that eastern flower thrips have never been found overwintering outdoors in Illinois (overwintering in greenhouses is presumed to occur), populations of this insect do develop each year throughout the state as a result of long-distance migrations from southern states on high-level winds associated with weather fronts. Stannard (1969) also reported that immigration of thrips may occur simultaneously with immigration of the potato leafhopp

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