getting rid of thrips

[minds_I]

Hello all,
ZH3, I seem to be at a loss.

I laid out loops of masking tape and collected the bugs-they are small-barely see them with your eye and only on a white background.

Anyway, I took the loop to the local hydro store-they never seen it before-there where thousands on this one inch square of tape. Looked like pepper.

They are long and narrow with antenna or mouth parts.

I can barely see the legs and there are no wings or wing buds.
They walk and the jump but I don't see any wings. They look like thrip instars.
I am at a loss.

I can take the sample to the state agriculture office and have them ID the damn things. But that seems risky to draw attention. They are however paid to do this-its their job to ID pests for the public.

I have attached a sketch of what I see in the RS microscope.

They look like a larvae of some sort to me.
They are about .5mm long and narrow
Any thoughts.

minds_I

 

[zedhead3]

Did it look like this?

Adult thrip x100 magnification:


The younger ones run about but the adults quite often jump/fly, about the same length you describe.


Zed

 

[inflorescence]

Googles got a cool image search.

 

[minds_I]

ZH3,

Yes, except I can barley detect legs on these things. and no wings either.

They do seem to drop from above which would coincide with Inflorescence chart.

They feed till they are ready to start to pupate. Then they drop to the soil, I don't know what they eat (I don't think they do).

If I can keep them from the soil perhaps I have a chance of breaking hte cycle.

Good noght all-spent far too much time on th eputer tonight then needed.

Will be back tomorrow.

Thanks for all the advice.

minds_I

 

[minds_I]

Hello all,

Found this while Googling.

Some flower growers report adding sugar at 1 pound per 100 gallons of spray mixture enhances thrips control. Our demonstrations have not corroborated the effectiveness of sugar in drawing the thrips out of deep crevices to areas of higher pesticide concentration. If sugar is used, the highly refined table sugar will not damage plants at 1 pound per 100 gallons whereas brown sugar may cause some damage. When treating for thrips, it is better to use normal rates and treat more often than to use heavy rates and treat less often.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/flowers/ort072e/ort072e.htm

Now, I have read where you spray Ladybugs down with a sugar solution to keep them from flying away-why would it not have the same effect on the adults and both instar phases. In addition, if the top soil is drenched and allowed to dry it is hard and compact and I don't thing the thrips can dig through the clodded suface. Just a thought.

minds_I