 
Thrips
Thrips are tiny insects, 1/8 inch or less ( about this size -). The wingless young are straw-colored; winged adults range in color from brown to black. Thrips are usually found gathered together in large numbers. They are very active insects which crawl or fly rapidly when disturbed. Thrips rasp or tear the surface of plant tissues as they feed, then suck up the freed plant fluid. Injured plants have a silvery luster at the feeding site. Leaves damaged by thrips become disfigured. Flower buds are a favorite feeding site of thrips. Injury can be a disfigured bud that fails to bloom, discolored petals, and/or pitted fruit. All flowering garden plants are attractive to thrips. They are a particularly troublesome pest of roses.
Control
Thrips are serious pests of gladiolus. A corm treatment is recommended to reduce thrips damage. After harvesting and curing gladiolus corms, shake them in a sack with a small amount of carbaryl (Sevin®) dust (1 to 2 teaspoons for each 100 corms); store as usual. See Chart 2
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