Several insecticides were tested during 1986 for effects on early season infestations of tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca (Hinds); flower thrips, F. tritici (Fitch); soybean thrips, Sericothrips variabilis (Beach); and the cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii (Glover). Foliar applications of insecticides were made once during the seedling stage and once in early July. Rapid knockdown of thrips infestations in seedling cotton was observed with pyrethroids. However, 7-day posttreatment ratings revealed that pyrethroids did not provide adequate residual activity. However, Monitor, Azodrin, Bidrin, Orthene, and Temik treatments provided good residual control of thrips. Aphid infestations during the seedling stage were minor,and the data were inconclusive. Azodrin, Monitor, Bidrin, Curacron, and Orthene provided adequate control of heavy infestations of aphids during the early July observation period and minor infestations were observed in Temik infurrow treatments. Yield differences among treatments were not significant (P > 0.05). As determined by the yield at first harvest, the use of pyrethroids resulted in slightly earlier maturity.