Thrip

What are Thrips?

Thrips are the smallest winged insects, and there are about six species of which can cause damage to plants in greenhouses and at indoor growing. The most common species are Western Flower Thrips, which, as their name suggests, attack and hide in flowers.

Thrip Damage & Symptoms

Thrips cause damage to plants by sucking out juices and leaving leaves tired and damaged. Dragonfli have developed some simple control systems to help rid you of these persistent pests.

How To Control Thrips

Dragonfli Preventative System 

This control system is designed to introduce our predators on your plants before Thrips are present, in order to protect your plants from future infestations.

- If temperatures are over 20°: apply our Amblyseius swirskii foil sachets every 3 to 4 weeks for continuous protection.

- If temperatures are between 15-20°: apply our Amblyseius cucumeris sachets every 3 to 4 weeks. 

- If you have infested plants growing plants in soil or compost: apply our Mighty Mites or Hypoaspis miles to the base of your plants. These soil predatory mites stay on and in the compost or soil eating thrip pupae and sciarid fly larvae.

Dragonfli Curative System

This control system is designed to tackle severe infestations when Thrips are already present on your plants. 

- First apply loose Amblyseius swirskii or loose Amblyseius cucumeris to quickly release predatory mites onto the leaves .

- Apply Amblyseius swirskii foil sachets or Amblyseius cucumeris sachets at the same time, these will continue to release predatory mites onto the plants for a number of weeks, helping to break the Thrip life cycle.

- The use of yellow, or blue, sticky traps will also help catch adult Thrips.

- Consider applying Orius laevigatus if you have large numbers of adult Thrips in your plants.