What are Thrips?

Thrip- Thysanoptera

What are Thrips?

Thrips are tiny, slender insects usually only a millimetre or two long, with two pairs of fringed wings and six legs, varying in colour from yellowish to black, depending on the species. Pest species in the garden include Greenhouse thrip, Western Flower Thrips, Tomato Thrips. Plague Thrips, Onion Thrips and Melon Thrips.

Thrips of various species damage a wide range of plants including vegetables, rockmelon and strawberries, fruit trees and ornamental plants. They breed in several broadleaf weed species.

What are the symptoms of Thrips?

Symptoms of thrips include:

• distorted flowers, fruits and leaves caused by feeding
• silvering on the upper surface of leaves caused by thrips feeding on the underside of the leaves
• dark droppings on leaves, especially the underside
• brown blemishes on flowers, particularly on light coloured blooms
• tomato spotted wilt virus symptoms such as large circular blotches on tomato fruit and ring-shaped brown patches on the leaves of plants, including calendula, capsicum, dahlia, lettuce, potato and tomato.

How to prevent Thrips

To prevent thrips, monitor susceptible plants with yellow sticky traps.

Prevention involves removing weeds to reduce breeding sites and pruning off infested buds and blooms.

Applications of Neem oil are an effective treatment to thrip.

Encourage natural predators in the garden such as ladybirds, lacewing, pirate bugs and predatory mites by planting beneficial attracting plants like Dill, Coriander, Queen Anne’s lace, Tansy, Marigold, and Fennel.