Chilli thrips; Yellow tea thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis) is an insect pest of flowers fruits and vegetables. It is a native of Asia and was first detected in Florida in 1991.
It is a pest of economic significance with a broad host range, with prominent pest reports on crops including pepper, mango, citrus, strawberry, grapes, cotton, tea, peanuts, blueberry, and roses. Chilli thrips appear to feed preferentially on new growth, and infested plants usually develop characteristic wrinkled leaves, and a distinctive brown scarring along the veins of leaves, the buds of flowers, and the calyx of fruit. Feeding damage can reduce the sale value of crops produced, and in sufficient numbers, kill plants already aggravated by environmental stress.
For more information about this plant pest, see the CABI data sheet.