Thrips are small, slender insects, just visible to the naked eye. Thrips can be an economic problem in a wide range of crops including ornamentals, vegetables, strawberries, grapes, pome fruit, and stone fruit. Western flower thrips (WFT) is the most damaging of all thrips species and was first detected in Australia in Perth in 1993. Thrips also spread plant viruses. WFT, onion thrips and tomato thrips spread the tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), which is mainly of concern in tomatoes, capsicum, and lettuce where it can cause up to 100% crop loss. This 4-page fact sheet provides valuable background information about WFT (including its life cycle) and TSWV and details effective management strategies to control thrips and reduce the spread of TSWV. Information relevant to the management of Western flower thrips (WFT), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) and other Thrips and Tospoviruses is included in this item.