Thrips are small insects, just a few millimeters in size, that go by a variety of names. The vernacular calls them, for example, thunderstorm animals or thrips, because of their adhesive blisters on their feet also blistered feet. They multiply very quickly.
The thrips can hardly be seen with the naked eye
Since thrips can fly, they spread quite quickly and soon infest other plants. There are many different types of thrips, but not all thrips cause lasting damage to plants.
How do I diagnose a thrips infestation?
Thrips occasionally occur on orchids that have hard leaves, such as Cattleya. Here they pierce the cell surface of the leaves and suck out individual cells. The typical damage is silvery light spots on the leaves, preferably on the underside of the leaves.
Dark spots may appear later. This is usually a "cosmetic" problem, only in the case of a severe infestation are the leaves permanently damaged. To prevent this, you should do everything you can to get rid of the thrips quickly.
When do thrips appear?
Thrips like it warm and dry. Therefore, they occur especially in winter when the heating air is dry. But you should also check your orchids for these pests in spring, when it is slowly getting warmer again. If the thrips go undetected, consequential damage can occur. Fungi or bacteria nest and spread.
How can I combat thrips?
First, make sure no other plants are infested with the thrips and quarantine the infested plant. If the infestation is small, use a home remedy. Garlic tea or water with dish soap are good for washing off the affected leaves.
If there is a heavy thrips infestation, washing the leaves off may not be enough. Here you should shower the whole plant with a strong jet of water. The pests should not get to the ground, otherwise they will soon be back on the plant. A plastic bag that you pull over the flower pot and fasten well can prevent this.
Thrips have a number of predators that you can certainly use to combat them. This method is considered to be particularly natural and gentle on infested plants. Various beneficial insects such as lacewings or predatory mites are available from specialist retailers.
The essentials in brief:
- tiny little insects
- suck out the leaf cells
- Flowers rarely affected
- recognizable by silver dots
- later possibly dark spots on the leaves
- serious damage only in case of heavy infestation
- Infection by fungi or bacteria possible
tips
Before you resort to chemicals, try fighting thrips with home remedies like garlic or a dish soap solution. This is better for the plant and is good for the environment.