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The redbanded thrips, Selenothrips rubrocinctus (Giard). Adults are about 1/20 inch long, dark-brown or black. The first three abdominal segments are reddish colored. The nymphs range in color from light yellow to orange. In the nymphs, the first two and the last abdominal segments are bright red. It is this coloring which gives the species its common name. The life cycle (egg to adult) requires about three weeks. Redbanded thrips prefer young foliage and their feeding destroys cells and causes leaf distortion and leaf drop.
Common host plants: This thrips species attacks an extremely wide variety of plants.
For additional information on the redbanded thrips see the Featured Creatures Web site at http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/thrips/redbanded_thrips.htm