Thrips on African Violets

[Steverd]

Thrips are so common on African violets, either you've had them, have them now, or will have them in the future.
But do not worry, if you know what to do, you can eliminate them.
The first sign of thrips is usually spilled pollen on a bloom. Easiest is yellow pollen spilled out on to a purple bloom, pretty had to miss. Or placing sticky traps around.

The best control I know for thrips is Conserve or Conserve Naturalyte.
Avid also works very good for Thrips, but cost more and is not as safe.

Here are some thrips photo.

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Steve

[Jana in Indiana]

You take awesome pics Steve! How'd you get those little suckers to hold still for their photo shoot? :D

[Monica]

I think I even see him smiling

[luv2gro]

Excellent pictures. Nice to know what the little buggers look like. Thankfully I haven't had to deal with them!

[Alaizabelle]

Eeeeeeeeeeeek, I hate thrips! They are the bane of my indoor existence (aphids being the bane of the outdoors!)

When my collection was all pretty noids, I had my first sightings of thrips... the debudding process nearly broke my heart, since they were all in full bloom. Just as they are now recovering from that whole ordeal and putting up tons of buds just about to burst open, I get a shipment of a few plants... who, on the third day show signs of thrips T____T
Yesterday was another sad, bud removing day....

Thrips are evil!!!!

[rebelbrat]

its my turn! tonight I found thrips on my violet buds! saw the spilled pollen but didnt see the bugs yet, now I see the nasty things wrecking my flowers. Ill order some traps & look for the Conserve. any other ideas would be appreciated : )

[Sparkles]

I don't mean to worry you, rebelbrat, but thrips can carry a nasty virus. There is no cure. If you see thrips, immediately consider the following:

Option A: throw the plants away. I know it sounds crazy, but some people who've had INSV (we've had a major outbreak this past year), would throw them away if they only had few plants.

Option B: treat them and then be extremely careful.

1. Do no buy any more plants until the thrips are gone.
2. Immediately disbud ALL plants, including any thing else in your house they could feed from (other blooming plants). Keep all buds off for at least 2 months.
3. Hang traps to help you for the next time and tell you this time when there aren't any more.
4. Treat plants. There are multiple ways such as Avid, Conserve, or even using a No Pest Strip in a box with all the plants in the box - leave it covered for 24 hours. What ever treatment you use, use it 3 times, about 10-14 days apart (check on that, I'm relying on my memory and it could be a bit sooner or a bit longer).
5. Rotate the product used to kill thrips . You run the risk of helping them become immune to the chemicals if you keep using the same thing. Check on this, too - it's also from my memory. I just remember we have to rotate them, but not how often.
6. Isolate ALL of your existing plants for at least 6 months and up to a year. You have no idea how many the thrips have fed on and any they have fed on could be infected. Apply what you learn in Step 8.
7. Isolate all incoming material for at least 4-6 months.
8. Read up on Western Flower Thrips (these are what like our AVs) and in INSV - impatiens necrotic spot virus. Every one of us should know what it is and how to take basic precautions - we don't have to get crazy, but we should be careful so we do not inadvertently infect someone else's collection.

People hadn't worried about thrips much in the last 5 years or so. They were a pest, sure, but not a destroyer But, they carry INSV and this year INSV wiped out many a hobby grower's collection. I know of people who lost hundreds of plants. One of them lost all of her own hybrids, too. We'll all be careful and it will die down again and then we'll all forget and 5 or so years from now it will be bad again.

[rebelbrat]

I wonder if I got these bugs from an african violet I purchased from a market nearby ? Can they fly threw screens in windows? I keep the violets near my sliding door under flourescant lights . but wonder now about the screen allowing these bugs in too???

[Sparkles]

You are welcome. Hope it helped.