TIIPJPS. 
Thrips physapus oi Linnaeus, which is a very small, 
slender insect, of a black colour, very frequently 
seen during the spring and summer on various, 
flowers, more especially on what are termed the 
compound flowers, as Dandelion, &c. It wanders 
about the petals of the flower, descending to the 
bottom of the florets, occasionally emerging at in- 
tervals, and often skipping from place to place, in 
performing which action it is observed suddenly to 
turn back its abdomen, so as nearly to touch the 
thorax with its tip. The wings are of a semi- 
transparent white, narrow, and when properly 
magnified, are observed to be edged and tipped 
with hairs growing gradually longer as they ap- 
proach the tips, where they are of considerable 
length: the lower wings are rather shorter than 
the upper, beneath which they are, in general, 
hlmost concealed : the antennae consist of six 
joints, and the feet are tipped with an expansile 
and apparently vesicular process, enabling the 
little animal to adhere at pleasure with the greater 
security to any particular substance. All tliese 
particulars require a microscope for their investi- 
gation, the whole insect not exceeding the tenth 
of an inch in length. The larva in a great degree 
resembles the complete insect, but is destitute of 
wings: when very young it is white, and after- 
wards of a yellowish or reddish colour, and like 
the complete insect, is seen wandering about the 
petals of flowers. 
The Thrips physapus has been supposed to do 
much injury to wheat, rye, &c. by causing the 
