CLOSED: What insect is attracted to wax and eats through paint??

bjthayer Alamogordo, NM Apr 12, 2012

I took a picture of this flying insect that I found along with dozens of others on my car. They seem to be attracted to wax and only "fed" on the shaded parts of my car. The first picture shows several brown dots on my paint that are smaller than pin heads and are their "bite marks". The second picture shows a cloth with a group of them that I killed. The only bug even close to these I found was the springtail. They are ruining my paint so I would like to find out what they are and how I can get rid of them.

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Apr 13, 2012

These are thrips (order Thysanoptera), and are not known to damage car wax or paint. They are extremely common and difficult to control - http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7429.html

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AHealy8172 Devon, PA Apr 18, 2012

Maybe the brown dots are their feces and not actually bite marks....I've heard they leave tiny brown feces behind, which is used as an itentifier.

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bjthayer Alamogordo, NM Apr 21, 2012

AHealy8172: Maybe the brown dots are their feces and not actually bite marks...I've heard they leave tiny brown feces behind, which is used as an itentifier.

I read that as well but I scrubbed at the spots and they didn't go away. Since I posted the pics, some of them have begun to rust as well. I'm hating these pests! I wanted to make sure it was wax they were attracted to so I washed my wife's car as well and found literally thousands afterwards. I'm going to teach myself how to be an exterminator because these bugs are ridiculous!

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Flapdoodle Minot, ND Apr 22, 2012

It may be the color of your car that is a factor - some thrips seem attracted to very light colors. Try contacting your county extension service office to see if anyone else in your area has reported a similar problem.

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