It has spread to other parts of the world and now has a near pan-tropical distribution, occurring in North, Central, and South America, Africa, southern Asia, and Australasia.

[2] The adult female redbanded thrip is about 1.2 mm (0.05 in) in length; the male is slightly smaller, but is seldom observed.

The nymphs and pupae are distinctively coloured being yellow or pale orange, with the first three abdominal segments and the tip of the abdomen being vivid red.

[2] Adult female redbanded thrips live for about a month, during which time they lay up to fifty eggs which are produced by parthenogenesis.

[2] The adults and nymphs insert their mouthparts into the epidermis of young leaves, killing the cells as they suck sap and causing leaf silvering or browning.