Tryps is a pest insect, in nature there are 6 thousand of its varieties. From the oblong body, with a length of not more than 0.3 cm, 6 thin legs depart from it.
Prefers indoor plants, one of the favorite is orchids. Questions and problems in pest management arise among amateur gardeners and professionals with rich experience. The insect is not limited to one habitat.
Description of thrips
There are predatory species that hunt for spider mites, but the vast majority prefers plants. In Russia and on the territory of adjacent countries, several hundred species are found that destroy agricultural and ornamental crops, including indoor ones. The fleecy wings in the amount of two pairs are located on the back. They are tan, striped. Insects emerge from eggs laid by the female in leaf tissue. As they grow up, 4 stages pass (larvae, protonymphs, nymphs, mature individuals).
In a few weeks, a larva with only distant features of an adult insect becomes a mature individual. Within 1 year, under favorable conditions for the pest (temperature, humidity, lighting), about 10 generations have time to develop.
Signs of a thrips orchid
The pest is attracted by the juice of the plant. He punctures the leaf and extracts the necessary nutrients. At the same time, the affected area acquires a silver tint, eventually turning into black.
An additional symptom - the appearance of black dots on the orchid - this is nothing but the thrips vital products. Young shoots, buds and peduncles are among the first to suffer from them. The presence of pollen on the flowers also betrays the presence of the pest.
Types of thrips parasitizing on orchids
Among several thousand species, the most likely damage to indoor orchids is as follows:
| View | Description | Features |
| Californian or Western Floral | One of the largest representatives of this pest, grows to 0.2 cm. It gives a light yellow tint, the color of the larvae is much more saturated. Settles on the petals and leaves of an orchid. He feels comfortable at room temperature. | It is a carrier of a tomato virus dangerous for a flower, which provokes a discoloration of the leaves. |
| Tobacco | A widespread species, small in size compared to its relatives (up to 0.1 cm in length). | Inherent in dark color, larvae, on the contrary, are light in color. |
| American | First met relatively recently on a young specimen of miltonia and spathoglottis Caractea (hybrid). | Very dangerous. |
| Dracenic | It grows to 0.1 cm in length, the body in black and white, and the larvae are transparent. | Favorite place - leaves. |
| Greenhouse (black) | The pest is a standard size for thrips (about 0.1 cm). In front of a darker color, there is also a slight contrast of the body with wings, antennae and legs, represented by shades somewhat lighter than in other species. | Orchids placed in partial shade and with almost no drying soil are preferred. |
| Decorative | Almost the smallest insect of its kind. A female that surpasses the male in size rarely reaches a length of more than 0.1 cm. | He loves warmth, and the habitat is exclusively premises. Unpretentious in food, so ruining an orchid can switch to any other culture. The modest size allows the parasites to lead a relatively open lifestyle. |
| Rosanny | Black large specimen growing up to 3 mm in length. | Very fast look, prefers to settle in flower buds. It is very difficult to detect. It damages the plant, including its immunity - the orchid becomes vulnerable to fungi, significantly loses its viability. |
Ways to deal with thrips on orchids
Thrips are most often brought into the house through bouquets or new copies of flowers. Therefore, the most effective method for preventing the appearance of insect pests is quarantine. Thrips do not tolerate high humidity and saturated lighting, so it is better to organize these conditions as a preventative measure.
If symptoms are found in the flower, indicating the presence of a pest, it should:
- To avoid the spread of thrips, isolate the affected plant from healthy ones;
- Rinse the orchid with warm water (a similar measure will significantly reduce the number of insects);
- Spread on the affected areas an infusion made from garlic juice, pre-filled with 0.5 l of boiling water and infused for several hours;
- Destroy the remaining parasites using any of the means listed below.
Folk thrips recipes
| Means | Cooking | Application |
| Soap solution | Dissolve a small piece of soap in 1/4 liter of water (not cold). | Spray the resulting mixture thoroughly and wash off the flower no later than 20 minutes later. In rare cases, the solution can harm the appearance of the plant, this happens when clogging its stomata. If this happens, you should find an alternative to this method. |
| Tobacco infusion | Mix 1 liter of liquid with 0.1 kg of tobacco dust and pass through a sieve. | Spray the orchid. |
| Marigold Broth | Take 60 g of inflorescences, chop and boil them in 1 liter of water. Cook on low heat for 1-2 minutes. Cool and leave for 3 days, then pass through a sieve. | |
| Emulsion | In 1 liter of liquid, dilute 2 tbsp. l sunflower oil and mix sharply. | |
| Orange peel infusion | Ingredients:
Mix everything in crushed form, pour 1 liter of boiling water, keep on high heat for 1/4 hour. Pass the resulting mass through a sieve. | |
| Celandine broth | Take 0.5 kg of fresh celandine and brew in 1 liter of boiling water, then let it brew for 1-2 days. | |
| Dandelion Flask | Brew dandelion root in boiling water and let it brew for several hours, then apply. |
Chemicals against thrips
Chemical agents are also used to control pests, mainly various insecticides, but their effectiveness against thrips varies greatly. The best performance is demonstrated by the following samples:
| Means | Description | Price (r / ml) |
| Aktara | Systemic insecticide, enteric-contact action based on thiamethoxam ... Provides protection for a month. | 40 |
| Confidor | Imidacloprid systemic insecticide. | 35 |
| Tanrek | Intestinal contact insecticide. Acts on the nervous system of insects of different ages. It remains effective from two weeks to a month. | 24 |
It is preferable to use systemic drugs, since some stages of development in insects are not accompanied by any eating of food, therefore, thrips can easily survive the processing of an unsystematic drug that acts through the intestines. Similar preparations are most likely not to reach the larvae located inside the leaf tissue.
Biological remedies for thrips
Such drugs are used relatively rarely, but their effectiveness is higher for the reason that insects do not develop addiction to biological substances. The best performance is demonstrated by the following samples:
| Means | Cooking | Price |
| Vertimek | Dissolve 5 ml of the product in 10 l of water. After processing the plant, close it for a day with a plastic bag. Copes with thrips for 2-3 treatments. | 45 rub for 2 ml |
| Spintor | A new generation insecticide. Be sure to follow the instructions. Fast acting. Guaranteed to destroy thrips in 2 treatments with an interval of 5 days. | 51 rub per 1 ml |
| Fitoverm | A popular drug. Take 5 ml of the drug dissolved in 0.5 l of water. Spray and cover with polyethylene. It can be removed in a day. Copes with thrips for 3 treatments with an interval of 4-5 days. | 65 rub per 10 ml |
It is noteworthy that thrips can hide in the soil. In this case, spraying will not have any effect on them. Watering the soil with biological products will not bring results.
You can eliminate insect pests by resorting to the use of the drug Anthem-F. It contains a concentrate of live nematodes that destroy adult thrips, larvae and even their eggs.
Mr. Dachnik's advice on combating thrips on orchids
It is difficult to get rid of thrips that are already listed in the orchidarium. It is most correct in this case to apply 2 insecticides in a sequential order. Drugs should be distinguished by active substances. For example, first use Aktara, and then Confidor. Between the use of different funds should be at least 7 days.
