A swarm of tiny brown creatures

[hermitdog]

While photographing a sprig of Queen Anne's Lace, I came upon a swarm of tiny brown creatures that were virtually invisible to the naked eye, so I made my very first video with the stereoscope:
https://vimeo.com/338748774

[Peter]

Hi Hermitdog,
They look like thrips to me.
Hope this helps.
Peter.

[apochronaut]

Western Flower Thrips. frankliniella occidentalis, almost for sure. They are invasive in most of the world , spreading out of the s.w. U.S. on plant tissue. Unfortunately sucking insects collect and spread viruses and sometimes bacterial or fungal diseases. Western Flower Thrips spread tomato spotted wilt virus, possibly the most serious plant virus in existence. It is particularly damaging to greenhouse production and one of the most targeted viruses by plant breeders. If you read a description of a fruit or vegetable cultivar that says " virus resistant" ; unless the reference is specific , for instance resistant to tobacco mosaic virus, there is a good chance the reference is to tomato spotted wilt virus, which has over 1000 different host plants.