A tiny, tree-living thrips is the first species identified that can reproduce both by laying eggs and by bearing live young, although for any one instance of reproduction, a given female will use only one of the two methods  Interestingly, biologists have observed that all of the offspring of this insect that are hatched from eggs are females, and all of the offspring that are live-born are males  It has also been noted that any particular live-born brood will comprise fewer individuals than any particular brood hatched from eggs
However, a much larger proportion of male offspring than of female offspring survives to adulthood, and among thrips reaching adulthood the ratio of males to females is about even
Any female of the species that can reproduce by laying eggs can also reproduce by bearing live young but not necessarily vice versa.