TRIPS

Thrips are a huge family of insects, which includes 6091 (!) Species! Only in Our Country there are 200 species of them. However, not all of them are pests – some pollinate plants (by the way, according to some sources, it was thrips in prehistoric times that were the first insects that began to pollinate plants) (1), others feed on mycelium, and some even predators – prey on small invertebrates. But most still feed on plant juices. And among them there is one species that is the most dangerous pest of plants – this is western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis).

What do thrips look like in the photo

Western flower thrips is a very small oblong insect, about 1 mm long. The color of adults is from light yellow to dark brown. The larvae are light yellow.

Interesting facts about thrips

Why are thrips dangerous?

First, thrips are harmful throughout the year. Secondly, they reproduce at a breakneck pace – each female lays 100 eggs, and after 2 to 4 days (at a temperature of 25 ° C), after a maximum of 11 days (at 15 ° C), larvae are born from the eggs, which immediately begin to feed on plant sap. After 12 to 35 days (3) they turn into adult insects that lay eggs again. And it’s an endless process.

Thrips greatly reduce the decorative effect of plants – numerous spots appear on their leaves. In vegetables, the yield and quality of fruits are greatly reduced. And with a strong infection, the leaves dry and fall off, the stems grow crooked, the fruits become ugly, the plant may die.

In addition, thrips are carriers of viral diseases dangerous for plants, for example, tomato bronze virus (4).

In 2007, by order of the Ministry of Agriculture, western flower thrips was included in the list of quarantine objects (5).

Signs of thrips

The first sign of infection is numerous small yellow spots on the leaves – they form in those places where thrips suck out the juice. The more insects, the more such spots. Gradually, the leaves begin to dry out and fall off. If you turn the affected leaf over, on the back side you can see a lot of scurrying long small insects.

Causes of thrips

Thrips get into gardens, kitchen gardens and flower beds with infected plants that are grown in greenhouses – indoor and cut. This is how these pests came to Our Country in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

How to treat indoor plants from thrips

Since thrips breed very quickly, the fight against them must begin at the first sign.

Folk methods

In various online publications, you can find recommendations for spraying plants with decoctions of yarrow, tobacco, celandine, infusions of garlic and dandelion, but this is a dead poultice. Especially if thrips began to breed in the greenhouse. These insects very quickly develop resistance even to chemical preparations, and plant preparations do not care for them at all.

So do not waste time and do not experiment – use proven drugs.

Preparations

Aktara. This is one of the most famous and popular drugs for a complex of pests, including thrips. It is recommended specifically for indoor plants – they are watered with soil. Aktar is bred at the rate of 1 g per 10 liters of water. Consumption rate – 1 liter per 25 pots. For reliability, you need to carry out 3 waterings (6).

Insketor. The drug is recommended for indoor plants – 1 ml per 10 liters of water. This solution is watered the soil in pots. Consumption rate – 1 liter per 25 pots. One treatment is enough (6).

MartinBio. This biological preparation is safe for humans and animals, so it is ideal for indoor plants. You can use it at any time. Dilute at the rate of 1,5 ml per 1 liter of water. Consumption rate – 50 – 500 ml per plant. It is recommended to carry out 3 treatments (6).

Fitoverm. A very popular and reliable drug for a complex of pests, which includes thrips. For indoor plants, 2 ml is diluted in 200 ml of water. Plants should be sprayed as soon as pests appear. 4 treatments are recommended (6).

How to treat plants from thrips in a greenhouse

The greenhouse is a closed space, not all drugs can be used here – only the safest ones.

Folk methods

Thrips breed most actively in the greenhouse – here they have ideal conditions. And it is here that the most severe infection occurs. Therefore, folk remedies should not be used here – miss the time, then it will be very difficult to deal with thrips.

Preparations

Inta-Vir. This is a preparation for a complex of pests, including thrips. Available in tablets. Recommended for tomatoes and cucumbers in the greenhouse – 1 tablet per 10 liters of water. You can spray throughout the season, but no later than 3 days before harvesting. Norm – 10 liters per 50 square meters. m (6).

MartinBio. Since the drug is biological, it can also be used in greenhouses. Recommended for tomatoes, cucumbers, roses and grapes. In this case, it is diluted at the rate of 10 – 15 ml per 10 liters of water. It can be used throughout the season, on fruit and vegetable plants – no later than 3 days before harvesting. Consumption rate: for grapes – 0,5 – 1 l per bush (depending on the age of the plant and the type of formation of the vine), for cucumbers, tomatoes and roses – 10 l per hundred square meters. For reliability, 3 treatments should be carried out (6).

Fitoverm. In greenhouses, this drug is recommended to treat cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Dilute it at the rate of 10 ml per 1 liter of water. Consumption rate – 10 liters per hundred square meters. You can spray plants throughout the summer, but no later than 3 days before harvesting. 2 treatments are recommended (6).

How to treat plants from thrips in open ground

In open ground, thrips infection is not as strong as in a greenhouse or at home, but it is also not worth pulling with treatments.

Folk methods

For small infections, tobacco dust can be used – it needs to be carefully dusted with plants, not only on the outside of the leaves, but also on the back. But you should not count on complete disposal of pests – the method is very unreliable.

Preparations

Fufanon-Nova. Recommended for cabbage, cucumbers and tomatoes in the open field. The drug is diluted at the rate of 13 ml per 10 liters of water. It can be used throughout the season, but no later than 20 days before harvest. Consumption rate – 1 liter per 10 square meters. m (6).

Alatar. Recommended for flowers in open ground – 5 ml per 10 liters of water. Plants can be treated with them throughout the season. Consumption rate – 1 – 2 liters per 10 square meters. m (6).

Antilles. It is a mixture of waste tobacco dust (75%), soda ash (10%) and water. That is, it is quite safe. The drug is recommended for roses in open ground. Use it in the form of a decoction or infusion – 0,5 kg per 10 liters of water. Processing is recommended before and after flowering – 1 liter per bush (6).

Spark. Available in tablets, recommended for garden flowers and shrubs – 1 tablet per 10 liters of water. Consumption rate – 1 – 2 liters per 10 square meters. m. It can be used throughout the season, 2 treatments are recommended (6).

Fitoverm. Since the drug is universal, it can also be used in open ground. In this case, it is recommended for flowers. The standard dosage is 10 ml per 10 liters of water. Consumption rate – 10 liters per hundred square meters. You can use the drug all summer, it is better as soon as pests appear. 4 re-treatments are recommended (6).

Bitoxibacillin. This is a biological preparation in the form of a powder, based on the spores of the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. thuringiensis. Getting into the intestines along with the juice of plants, they kill pests. The drug is recommended for grapes – 60 – 80 g per 10 liters of water. Consumption rate – 1 – 3 liters per bush. The drug is completely safe for humans and animals, it can be used throughout the season (but no later than 5 days before harvesting), 2 treatments are required with an interval of 8-10 days (6).

Prevention of infection with thrips

Here you can give only one piece of advice – carefully inspect plants, seedlings and seedlings before buying – thrips are usually clearly visible. If there is the slightest doubt – do not take it, otherwise you will then be tormented to remove these insects.

Popular questions and answers

We talked about the fight against thrips with agronomist-breeder Svetlana Mikhailova.

Sources of

1. Terry, I. Thrips: the primeval pollinators? // Thrips and Tospoviruses: Proceedings of the 7th Annual Symposium on Thysanoptera, 2001
2. Atlas of quarantine pests // Department of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance in the Krasnodar Territory and the Republic of Adygea, 136 p.
3. Key to insects of the Far East of the USSR. T. I. Primary wingless, ancient winged, with incomplete metamorphosis / gen. ed. Lera P.A. // L.: Nauka, 1988 – 452 p.
4. Western (California) flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) // Department of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance for the city of Moscow and the Moscow and Tula regions https://web.archive.org/web/20190625091737/http://rsn- msk.ru/home/ZAPADNYY_KALFORNYSKY_TSVETOCHNYY_TRPS_frankliniella_occidentalis_perg
5. Order of December 26, 2007 No. 673 by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation “On approval of the list of quarantine objects” // Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision of Rosselkhoznadzor https://fsvps.gov.ru/ru/fsvps/laws/238.html
6. State catalog of pesticides and agrochemicals approved for use on the territory of the Federation as of July 6, 2021 // Ministry of Agriculture of the Federation https://mcx.gov.ru/ministry/departments/departament-rastenievodstva-mekhanizatsii-khimizatsii- i-zashchity-rasteniy/industry-information/info-gosudarstvennaya-usluga-po-gosudarstvennoy-registratsii-pestitsidov-i-agrokhimikatov/