Common crops affected
- Peppers
Why it matters
Peppers are a top host for western flower thrips, which scar fruit and flowers and transmit tospoviruses that can devastate a crop.
When it appears
From early flowering, on larvae and adults in flowers and growing points; monitor with sticky traps.
How to identify it
- Tiny (~1-2 mm) slender insects, pale yellow to brown, hiding in flowers, buds and growing points.
- Silvery, stippled or scarred leaf and petal surfaces with tiny black frass specks.
- Deformed flowers, scarred fruit and distorted new growth.
How to manage it
- Apply MultiMite Control with thorough coverage of flowers and growing points;
- repeat per pressure and rotate modes of action.
- Monitor early, treat at the right window above, and use cultural measures (sanitation, airflow/drainage or resistance/rotation as relevant).
Recommended Vegalab program
| Role | Product | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Primary control | Spore Control | Apply MultiMite Control with thorough coverage of flowers and growing points; |
| Rotation / companion | Spider Mite Control | Rotation or companion product |
Product claims, rates, and availability vary by jurisdiction; always follow the applicable label.

