Common crops affected
- Onions
- Peppers
- Ornamentals
- Grapes
- Cannabis
- Greenhouse Vegetables
What is it?
Thrips are tiny (1–2 mm) elongated insects that feed by puncturing plant cells and drinking the contents. They favor flowers, buds, and tender new growth, and many species reproduce rapidly. Some thrips transmit damaging plant viruses as they feed.
How to identify it
- Silvery feeding scars and dark frass flecks
- Distorted growing points and flowers
- Scarred, downgraded fruit
- Virus symptoms (spotted wilt) from feeding
Damage and how it spreads
Thrips feeding scars leaves and downgrades the appearance and value of flowers and fruit. Their role as virus vectors can be even more damaging than the direct feeding. They breed quickly and shelter inside buds and flowers, so infestations build out of sight.
How to control it
- Use blue or yellow sticky traps to monitor populations.
- Remove spent flowers and weeds that harbor thrips.
- Protect predatory mites and minute pirate bugs.
- Spray a natural contact insecticide, targeting flowers and new growth, and repeat to catch emerging thrips.
Recommended Vegalab solution: Spider Mite Control
Vegalab Spider Mite Control is the primary option for thrips, with MultiMite Control as a companion where pressure is broader. It works physically rather than through a single biochemical target — blocking the pests' breathing holes, suffocating them on contact and deactivating laid eggs — so thorough coverage matters more than dose. Apply early and target sheltered sites (flowers, growing points), repeat on the label interval, and manage nearby virus reservoirs.
Results you can mention: Spider Mite Control has demonstrated up to ~95% control of spider mites and ~94% of aphids in trials, and also controls scale, thrips and other soft-bodied insects.
| Role | Product | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Primary control | Spider Mite Control | Contact miticide / insecticide |
| Companion / broader pressure | MultiMite Control | Broader mixed mite & insect pressure |
See crop-specific solutions
Preventing it next season
Monitor with sticky traps, manage weeds, and keep beneficials active. Healthy, resilient plants recover from thrips scarring faster, so keep nutrition balanced through the season.
Claims and product availability vary by jurisdiction. Always read and follow the product label.