Isn’t it amazing how some insects show up every year at the same time?

Each spring we have the tiny yellow thrips in our flowers,

minute-pirate-and-thripsand each year the equally tiny black-and-white minute pirate bugs (Orius tristicolor) arrive to feed on them.

minute-pirate-bug-19If you look closely, you can see their beaks stuck into the thrips like tiny pirate swords.

minute-pirate-croppedThis bug caught two thrips in the short time I was watching it and was hunting a third.

Go, minute pirate bug, go!

Have you ever seen a minute pirate bug? When are they active where you live?