Notes given on taxonomic characters, and feeding injury symptoms of the four common thrips pestsFrankliniella schultzei(Trybom),Scirtothrips dorsalisHood,Megalurothrips usitatus(Bagnall) andCaliothrips indicus(Bagnall) can help in correct identification of groundnut Thysanoptera. A description ofThrips tabaciLind. is also included, this species being an important vector of tomato spotted wilt virus the world over, although not in India. Identification under field conditions can be made from specific injury symptoms;F. schultzeifeeding results in scars on young foliage, S.dorsalisinjury appears as light green patches on the upper surface of young foliage and brown necrotic areas on the lower surface of older leaves; andC. indicuscauses stippling on older leaves. Duration of egg incubation period forF. schultzei and S. dorsaliswas 6–8 days, of larval instars 6–7 days and prepupal and pupal stages 2–4 days. ForC. indicusthe duration of egg instar was slightly longer, 7–10 days, and was similar toF. schultzeiand S.dorsalisfor other development stages.C. indicusproduced many more progeny than the other two species.