Thrips

Other names: Thunderfly, Thunderbug

DE: Thrips, Blasenfüsse, Gewittertierchen

FR: Thrips

Thrips, imagenes and larvae

Relevant Data About Thrips

Thrips are tiny insects, thus sometimes difficult to detect. They can appear abundantly in gardens but also attack home plants. They appear at the end of the spring / in the early sommer and produce several generations within a summer. The last larvae will hibernate in the soil. They love hot and dry weather conditions.

Harm Caused by Thrips

Thrips suck plant sap from the leaves. The leaves show first small white-silver spots or bubbles, then dry out and fall. Their effects on fruit trees and strawberries are limited, while other plants might be affected more badly.

Biological Control

Proper fertilizing

Fertilize the earth of your plants with a potash-rich fertilizer in the early spring: potash strengthens the cell walls of the plants and makes them thereby more resistant to parasites.

Climate

Since Thrips love dry weather conditions:

• Spray abundantly a bitter herbal tea like Wormwood tea on the affected leaves. The bitter taste will also reduce their appetite.

• Water abundantly the plant as far as the plant is resistant to a humid soil.

• Keep the soil humid, spreading mulch on it.

Predators

• Spiders

• Lacewings, see also The Insect-Friendly Garden

• Ladybirds, see also The Insect-Friendly Garden

• Predacious mites, see also The Insect-Friendly Garden

• Ants, see also The Insect-Friendly Garden

To the Pests List