Since thrips can fly, they spread very quickly and soon attack other plants. There are many different types of thrips, but not all thrips cause lasting damage to plants.
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How do I find out if I am infected with thrips?
Thrips occasionally join Orchids that have hard leaves, for example on the Cattleya. Here they pierce the cell surface of the leaves and suck out individual cells. The typical damage pattern are silvery light points on the leaves, preferably on the underside of the leaf.
Dark spots may appear later. Most of the time this is a "cosmetic" problem; the leaves are only permanently damaged in the event of severe infestation. To prevent this from happening, you should do everything possible to get rid of the thrips quickly.
When do thrips occur?
Thrips like it warm and dry. Therefore, they occur especially in winter when the air in the heating system is dry. But you should also check your orchids for these pests in spring, when it is slowly warming up again. If the thrips remain undetected, consequential damage can occur. Fungi or bacteria nest and spread.
How can I fight thrips?
First of all, make sure that no other plants are infected by the thrips and put the infected plant in quarantine. If the infestation is low, use a home remedy. A tea made from garlic or water with washing-up liquid are well suited to wash off the infected leaves.
If there is a strong thrips infestation, washing off the leaves may not be enough. Here you should shower the whole plant with a powerful jet of water. The pests should not get on the ground, otherwise they will quickly sit on the plant again. A plastic bag that you pull over the flower pot and secure it securely can prevent this.
Thrips have a number of predators that you can also use to combat them. This method is considered to be particularly natural and gentle on infested plants. Various beneficial insects such as lacewings or Predatory mites are available from specialist retailers.
The essentials in brief:
- tiny little insects
- suck out the leaf cells
- Flowers rarely affected
- recognizable by silver dots
- later possibly dark spots on the leaves
- serious damage only in the case of severe infestation
- Possible infection by fungi or bacteria
Tips
Before you resort to the chemical club, try to fight the thrips with home remedies like garlic or a detergent solution. This is better for the plant and is good for the environment.
