Rates of transmission of tomato spotted wilt tospovirus (TSWV) by tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca Hinds, to imidacloprid treated and untreated tomato, pepper and tobacco were measured in greenhouse and small-plot field trials. The incidence of TSWV was reduced in greenhouse assays with all 3 crops receiving a soil application of imidacloprid at a rate of 9.9 g [AI]/1000 plants. Levels of TSWV were also reduced in small-plot field trials of tomato and pepper plants receiving transplant applications of imidacloprid at the same rate. No F. fusca were recovered from imidacloprid-treated tobacco (9.9 g [AI]/1000 plants) 24 days following an initial infestation. In the greenhouse, F. fusca populations reached higher levels on healthy than TSWV-infected tobacco. Applications of soil-applied imidacloprid reduced the number and duration of probing/feeding bouts by F. fusca on pepper and mustard (Brassica rapa L.). Reduced probing and feeding by viruliferous thrips on imidacloprid-treated plants may contribute to less TSWV incidence as observed in the field and greenhouse experiments.