How to get rid of tropical thrips for good?
Need an effective treatment against tropical thrips ? Here's our step-by-step guide to eliminate them without toxic products in indoor plants or small greenhouses.
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You will need :
•Scissors / Pruners
•Plastic bags
•Black soap
•Basin
•Cloth / Fine brush
Natural predators :
•Green lacewings
•Bulk swirskii
•Swirskii sachets (optional)
You will need :
•Scissors / Pruners
•Plastic bags
•Black soap
•Basin
•Cloth / Fine brush
Natural predators :
•Orius insidiosus
•Bulk swirskii
•Swirskii sachets (optional)
Preparation
Cut off damaged leaves
Damaged leaves and flowers usually harbor thrips eggs. If possible, cut them off.
Remove debris
Remove dead leaves and other debris that may interfere with the treatment.
Wrap the pot
Wrap the pot in a plastic bag to protect the root ball during the treatment.
Cleaning
(Normal)
Prepare a work space
Prepare a work space that can get wet; ideally outside, in the sink or in the bathtub.
Adjust the water
Use the strongest stream of water possible without damaging the plant. (hose, faucet, shower head, etc.).
Wash the leaves and stems
Generously spray all leaves and stems. Cover all angles in several passes.
Cleaning
(non-washable plants)
Prepare the basin
Prepare a basin of black soap solution. Dissolve five tablespoons per liter of warm water.
Clean the foliage and stems
Clean all the leaves and stems by scrubbing them with the brush or soaked cloth.
Rinse the plant
Rinse the plant with water to wash away any thrips that have been dislodged.
Drying
Let the plant dry
Wait for the leaves to be completely dry before introducing predators.
First introduction
Introduce the lacewings
Install lacewing strips in infested plants.
Introduce the bulk swirskii
Distribute the bulk swirskii in infested plants using small containers.
Introduce the swirskii sachets
(optional)Install the swirskii sachets in non-infested plants.
Second introduction
Repeat the introduction
Wait three weeks and repeat the same introduction.
Monitoring and prevention
Monitor
Monitor for at least eight weeks. If new signs of thrips appear, do another cleaning.
Prevent
Once thrips are eradicated, continue monitoring. Ideally, keep using swirskii sachets to prevent reinfestation.
Preparation
Cut off damaged leaves
Damaged leaves and flowers usually harbor thrips eggs. If possible, cut them off.
Remove debris
Remove dead leaves and other debris that may interfere with the treatment.
Wrap the pot
If treating a potted plant, wrap the pot in a plastic bag to protect the root ball during treatment.
Cleaning
(Normal)
Prepare a work space
Prepare a work space that can get wet; ideally outside, in the sink or in the bathtub.
Adjust the water
Use the strongest stream of water possible without damaging the plant. (hose, faucet, shower head, etc.).
Wash the leaves and stems
Generously spray all leaves and stems. Cover all angles in several passes.
Cleaning
(non-washable plants)
Prepare the basin
Prepare a basin of black soap solution. Dissolve five tablespoons per liter of warm water.
Clean the foliage and stems
Clean all the leaves and stems by scrubbing them with the brush or soaked cloth.
Rinse the plant
Rinse the plant with water to wash away any thrips that have been dislodged.
Drying
Let the plant dry
Wait for the leaves to be completely dry before introducing predators.
First introduction
Introduce the orius
Distribute the bulk orius directly on the leaves of infested plants.
Introduce the bulk swirskii
Distribute the bulk swirskii in infested plants using small containers.
Introduce the swirskii sachets
(optional)Install the swirskii sachets in non-infested plants.
Second introduction
Repeat the introduction
Wait three weeks and repeat the same introduction.
Monitoring and prevention
Monitor
Monitor for at least eight weeks. If new signs of thrips appear, do another cleaning.
Prevent
Once thrips are eradicated, continue monitoring. Ideally, keep using swirskii sachets to prevent reinfestation.
Predators
What quantity of swirskii sachets do I need ?
Use one sachet per single plant, per shelf, or per square meter of grouped plants. To calculate order quantities, click here
What quantity of bulk swirskii do I need ?
Use approximately two teaspoons (200 individuals) for an average plant in an 8-inch pot. To calculate order quantities, click here.
What quantity of lacewings do I need ?
Use one strip per single plant, per shelf, or per square meter of grouped plants. To calculate order quantities, click here
What quantity of orius do I need ?
Use approximately half a teaspoon (10 individuals) for an average plant in an 8-inch pot. To calculate order quantities, click here.
How do I introduce the natural predators ?
The usage instructions may vary by product. Consult the product page for details.
Treatment
Should I replace my plant's substrate?
There is no need to replace the potting soil since tropical thrips do not have a growth phase in the soil. On the other hand, a very aerated substrate such as sphagnum moss or coconut shavings could harbor a few thrips. In this case, you could replace it.
Should I use diatomaceous earth?
The effectiveness of diatomaceous earth is not lengthy enough to affect tropical thrips over a full life cycle. It will also be harmful to predators.
What should I do if my plants cannot be cleaned?
If you cannot clean with water or black soap, it will be harder to treat your tropical thrips. As a last resort, you can use black soap as a foliar spray and double the quantities of predators.
What should I do if I still have tropical thrips after this treatment?
Tropical thrips remaining in all the plants are a sign of insufficient cleaning. On the other hand, if thrips only persist on certain plants, consider discarding the problem plants or cleaning them every five days.