The thrips collection is located in Room 023, Building 005, BARC-West, Beltsville, MD. The collection has about 100,000 specimens representing about 2,100 types and 2,800 species. The associated Thysanoptera library includes 300 volumes and 22 linear feet of reprints. Sueo (Steve) Nakahara (retired; resident Research Associate) does both research and identifications of thrips. David R. Nickle handles identifications of specimens intercepted by APHIS/PPQ at U.S. ports of entry and submitted with URGENT priority.

The Thysanoptera collection was started by T. Pergande (USDA) before 1900. No full-time thysanopterist was employed by the USDA until the late 1930's, although identifications were provided by A. C. Morgan and J. R. Watson. USDA thysanopterists include F. Andre (1938-40), J. C. Crawford (1940-50) and K. O'Neill (1950-75). Geographic areas best represented are North America, western Europe, India, and Central and South America. The most important acquisition was the purchase of the J. D. Hood collection in 1965, which has more than doubled the size of the Thysanoptera collection.