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Privet Thrips

Dendrothrips ornatus[3]

The privet thrips is a tiny thrips from Europe that feeds on the leaves of privet, lilac and possibly ash, leaving them speckled with pale spots that give the foliage a dusty gray look.[1][2]

Group
Insect
Order
Thysanoptera
Family
Thripidae
US records
7 states
Sources
3 cited
Updated
2026-10-17
Adult privet thrips, dark with pale bands, on the underside of a privet leaf
Adult privet thrips, dark with pale bands, on the underside of a privet leaf. (c) Alexis Tinker-Tsavalas, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0
On this page
  1. Identification
  2. Where it lives
  3. Biology
  4. Damage and signs
  5. Health risk
  6. Control
  7. Related profiles
  8. Common questions
  9. Sources

How to identify it

  • Affected leaves look grayish or dusty from many tiny pale spots; the insects themselves need magnification to see.[1]
  • Adults are about 1 mm long and fully winged, with a brown body, yellow markings behind the head and front wings banded with two dark and three white bands.[1][2]
  • Immature thrips are slender and wingless and are found mainly on the leaf undersides; when numbers are high, 20 to 30 may be found on a single leaf.[1]

Where it lives

Probably native to southern Europe and widespread there; it was introduced to North America, and the California key notes only a few records from that state.[2][1]

US map: public records from 7 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Its life history isn't completely understood; females lay eggs on the leaves in late spring, and several generations are possible through the summer.[1]

Larvae and adults feed on older leaves rather than on young buds, and the pupae can also be found on the leaves; adults are active fliers.[2][1]

Damage and signs

  • Feeding leaves pale, chlorotic spots that turn privet leaves grayish, and it is also a pest in nursery and greenhouse production.[1][2]
  • Hosts are privets (Ligustrum), including California and Regel privet, lilacs (Syringa) and possibly ash (Fraxinus).[1][2]

Health risk

It feeds only on plants; neither source reports any harm to people or pets.[1][2]

Control

Prevention

Check gray or yellowing leaves with a hand lens, especially the undersides; tapping foliage over white paper or hanging blue or yellow sticky cards nearby helps find the thrips.[1]

Sanitation

Removing weeds, old plants and debris can reduce thrips, especially in nurseries.[1]

Biological control

Predators, nematodes and insect-killing fungi are used against some thrips in greenhouses, but how well they work on privet thrips isn't yet known.[1]

Pesticides

UMass lists a range of insecticides for thrips on privet; follow the label of any product used.[1]

Common questions

Why do my privet leaves look gray and dusty?
Grayish leaves covered in tiny pale spots can be privet thrips feeding; look under the leaves with a hand lens for slender insects about 1 mm long.[1]
Where did privet thrips come from?
It probably originated in southern Europe and was introduced to North America.[2]

Sources

  1. UMass Extension Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program (Landscape Insect & Mite Guide), “Dendrothrips ornatus (Privet Thrips).” www.umass.edu/agriculture-food-environment/landscape/publications-resources/insect-mite-guide/dendrothrips-ornatus (accessed 2026-10-17)
  2. Thrips of California 2012 (Lucid identification key), “Dendrothrips ornatus (Thrips of California 2012, Lucid identification key).” keyserver.lucidcentral.org/key-server/data/07060c0e-0504-490a-8003-050004060f01/media/Html/browse_species/Dendrothrips_ornatus.htm (accessed 2026-10-17)
  3. iNaturalist, “Dendrothrips ornatus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1089953 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-17. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.