Common thrips vs European Mole

Aptinothrips rufus compared with Talpa europaea

Key Differences

• Common thrips is Not Evaluated while European Mole is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common thrips	European Mole
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Arthropoda (Arthropods)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Insecta (Insects)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Thysanoptera (Thysanoptera)	Soricomorpha (Soricomorpha)
Family	Thripidae	Talpidae
Genus	Aptinothrips	Talpa
Species	Aptinothrips rufus	Talpa europaea

Evolutionary Relationship

Common thrips and European Mole share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Common thrips

NE — Not Evaluated

European Mole

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common thrips	European Mole
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common thrips

Habitat

Typically found in virtually all terrestrial and freshwater habitats.

Range

Found across Europe (5 countries) and North America (United States).

European Mole

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Denmark, and Sweden.

Common thrips

<em>Aptinothrips rufus</em>, the common thrips, is a small insect in the order Thysanoptera, family Thripidae, recorded from five European countries including Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, as well as the United States. It is Not Evaluated on the IUCN Red List. This species is primarily a grass-feeding thrips, found on grasses and grassland vegetation across temperate regions. The name "rufus" refers to the reddish-brown coloration of adults. Like other thrips, adults are minute insects, typically 1–2 millimeters long, with fringed wings adapted for flight and dispersal across grass habitats. Populations can be locally abundant in grasslands during warm summer months. <em>Aptinothrips rufus</em> feeds by piercing plant cells and extracting sap, primarily from grass blades and stems. It typically completes multiple generations per year under favorable conditions. The species has limited direct agricultural significance compared to some other thrips pests, but plays a role in grassland ecosystems. Biological traits such as precise body weight, longevity, and egg production figures remain poorly documented in standardized scientific assessments.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇩🇰 Denmark 🇸🇪 Sweden