You can only use a suitable remedy and treat the infestation successfully if you identify the type of pest on your houseplant. In this article you can read how to recognize thrips and how to take action against the small animals.
Thrips can hardly be seen with the naked eye
Thrips characteristics and lifestyle
Thrips are found almost everywhere. Although they also have useful properties, 95% of existing species are considered plant pests. The little creatures use the support of the wind to spread out. Most often they nest in apartments, as they prefer warm temperatures and low humidity. They are particularly often attacked
- orchids
- rubber trees
- and the bow hemp
detect thrips
Thrips are often confused with spider mites. Due to their small body size of only one millimeter, they can also hardly be seen with the naked eye. In order to detect an infestation, you should therefore primarily concentrate on the damage to the plant. On top of that, it is worth hanging up blue boards near the houseplant. These are signs covered with a sticky film. The blue color attracts the pests. If you sit on the blackboard, stick with it. You can then identify a larger population without a magnifying glass.
tips
Distinguishing between spider mites and thrips is very important, as both species have to be controlled differently. With a magnifying glass you can recognize the thrips by their elongated body. Spider mites, on the other hand, are round.
Damage to the plant
- yellow or silvery gray speckles on leaves
- brown discolorations
- Stunted growth of young specimens
treatment measures
Because thrips respond very well to organics, you don't even have to think about chemical fungicides. Homemade solutions of soap or neem oil usually have good results. Simply mix the home remedies mentioned with water and spray your plant several times.
Provided it doesn't harm the houseplant, a simple trick is to put it outside in the fresh air. Thrips react very sensitively to the changed environmental influences and migrate away from the plant.
If the methods mentioned have no effect, you can buy beneficial insects such as the predatory mite or lacewings on the market, with which you can take purely biological action against the pests. However, be careful to offer the predators a species-appropriate habitat.