How can thrips help pollinate flowers?

While some species of thrips are known to damage plants by feeding on leaves, flowers, and fruits or by transmitting plant viruses, a number of species can aid in the pollination of flowers.1

Due to their minute size—typically ranging from 0.6 mm to 3 mm in length—thrips are uniquely capable of entering the smallest flowers or the tiniest cracks in plant stems and bark. This ability allows them to access floral structures that might be inaccessible to larger insects, facilitating the transfer of pollen as they move between plants.1