Thrips is both singular and plural.

The adult thrips (see drawing below) are usually brown or black and are commonly found in flowers. They are not usually active in winter. The easiest way to find one is to pull a dandelion flower apart over white paper or a white tray. Most adults feed by piercing plant cells and sucking the sap. Some live on fungi, and a few suck the juices of other insects. Some species can be crop pests, e.g. onion thrips (Thirps tabaci) and grain thrips (Limothrip cerealium) and they can transmit diseases between plants, but they do also pollinate the flowers they visit.

The wings are coupled together by hooks on the hind wing. Some species are wingless, and some have short non-functional wings. Even within a species the wing development can vary.

Eggs are usually laid on plants, and some females have a saw-like ovipositor that enables them to place their eggs in the plant. The eggs hatch in 2 - 20 days depending on the species.

The larva resemble the adults, but do not have wings. On hatching they suck plant sap. Later some may become carnivorous. They pupate in soil or leaf litter.