# World War I, at my house



## Jorch (Nov 4, 2007)

I have officially declared war against thrips in my place. :fight: I got 3 phrags spikes blasted due to those annoying pests.. and you guessed it, they are all besseae hybrids. There are also damages on new growths (and some old) on other besseae-related phrags. I have always used Safer's against all pests and it works fine. Not on thrips though.. I sprayed and sprayed, and the problem persisted!  I know I know... the easy way would be to give up on besseae and hybrids but I love besseae and its hybrids to not grow them. :drool: 

I've searched the archive, and seems like people have good luck with Malathion and Orthene.. both of which I am not familiar with. Are they names of the chemical or brand names? Anyone can tell me where I can get them in Canada? 

Thanks in advance!


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## Heather (Nov 4, 2007)

I have found that thrips become resistant to anything you try to use more than once. They really made a mess out of anything I had with besseae in the breeding. Didn't touch my Paphs. 

I am not sure of the chemicals you mentioned, I only used Orthene once and it was disastrous for the plant (phytoxic) so I never used it again. 

Brian may be able to help with your overall thrip question, Kyle with your Canadian issue.


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## likespaphs (Nov 4, 2007)

are you absolutely sure they're thrips?
there are several beneficials that can be used which can make a significant impact on thrips populations. 
also, i like Conserve SC. only sprayed the orchids once or twice in many years with it, though. i thought i might have heard of someone who had phytotoxicity issues with it but i'm not sure... thrips become resistant very quickly to pesticides so you gotta rotate....
there's something new out called pylon. i think that none can be used in the home but some of the labels can be interpreted to be used outside... 
always follow label directions, wear appropriate personal protective equipment as required by the label, blah blah blah...


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## Kyle (Nov 4, 2007)

I used malathion to get rid of thrips when I had them a couple of years back. 

Not that it matters, but they went after my paph sanderianum. I guess Manitoba thirps have expensive tastes.

Its getting harded and harder to find 'real' chemicals for sale now in Canada. I have some orthene powder I can send you, but be warned, it is the worst smelling substance on earth. Once it dries, its fine. Its systemic.

My thrips were gone after one appplication of malithion. But based on what Heather says, you might wnat to spray two different chemicals 7-10 days apart.

Do you ever travel to the states? If so, I can recommend some good stuff that is available down there at any home depot or lowes.

Kyle


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## Heather (Nov 4, 2007)

I used Conserve and then the Bayer. If my memory serves me, I used Conserve around July and had to keep spraying every 10 days or so but didn't have more Conserve so when I saw one I used the Bayer stuff. They were resistant. 

Maybe (???) cold temps finally killed them off, I think I stopped having issues around January but we had a VERY mild winter and I was south in Rhode Island at the time. (I was in Boston when they first got me.) 

I hate to say it but it is one of the reasons the Phrags were sold off first (once they were thrip free). They definitely preferred my Phrags.

They're not fun. I'd take mealies over thrips ANY day!


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## goldenrose (Nov 4, 2007)

Thrips are attracted to bright colors, so for adults you could use yellow or blue sticky traps. (In a pinch I'd try fly paper tape.)
Neem Oil, Hot Pepper Wax & Garlic Barrier can make the plants taste bad so they go elsewhere. (an oil should suffocate.)
In the soil BTi should be effective as a drench. You could coarse grind egg shells & sprinkle on top of potting media or try DE.
naturescontrol.com has double death predators.


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## Kyle (Nov 4, 2007)

Heather, did you have your windows open all summer? Maybe they wern't resitent, but new ones were coming from your outside plants.

Thanks goldenrose, I never knew that about the BTi drench. They can't become resitant to that.

Kyle


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## bwester (Nov 4, 2007)

just wear the right mask.....


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## likespaphs (Nov 4, 2007)

it'll only take out one stage of the insect and not the adults, though...
they (beneficial insect suppliers) recommend a two pronged approach. one is a soil dwelling predatory mite and the other is a mite (i think) that scours the plant...


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## paphreek (Nov 4, 2007)

Sprays with pyrethrin as the main ingredient seem fairly successful on thrips. It is generally safe to use in the house. Spray under the plants lower leaves, under the plants and in the trays, as they like to hide during the day and seem to come out more at night.


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## goldenrose (Nov 4, 2007)

Kyle - if you have any place nearby that deals with ponds & supplies they may have it in a liquid form. Mosquito dunks are BTi but they are expensive & it's hard to dose.


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## goldenrose (Nov 4, 2007)

likespaphs said:


> it'll only take out one stage of the insect and not the adults, though...
> they (beneficial insect suppliers) recommend a two pronged approach. one is a soil dwelling predatory mite and the other is a mite (i think) that scours the plant...



go to www.naturescontrol.com, they explain, I think these double death predators will fit the bill. There are 4 stages & these will get 2 of the stages.


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## likespaphs (Nov 4, 2007)

yup. different strategies. i like www.greenmethods.com or www.rinconvitova.com


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## Jorch (Nov 4, 2007)

Thanks everyone! I will be visiting garden stores and pond supply stores to see what I can find in the west coast to get rid of those pests...

Yes, I am almost 100% sure they are thrips.. they are black in color, about the size of a sesame seed and width of a hair. and they like besseae and hybrids but nothing else! 

Kyle: thanks for the offer, but my plants are either in my room or in the living room. have to use something with better smell (or no smell at all) or else i'll get smacked. my parents don't even like the smell of neem oil. I probably will go down to the states soon.  So please let me know what I can bring back to kill those buggers.... I will try to find Malathion here first to keep the problem under control ASAP. 

Rose: crushed eggshell to control thrips? how does that work? I thought that's only for slugs? or additional calcium for the paphs? I got lots of eggshells at home that I could use! :clap:


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## goldenrose (Nov 4, 2007)

at the pupal stage they are rather slug like, same idea, sharp, jagged edges would cut them before they cut the plant! and as you said - the extra calcium won't hurt the plant!


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## NYEric (Nov 5, 2007)

Heather said:


> I hate to say it but it is one of the reasons the Phrags were sold off first (once they were thrip free). They definitely preferred my Phrags.



WHAT?!?!?


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## NYEric (Nov 5, 2007)

I usually just kill them when I see them flying, Smack, w/ my 2 hands!


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## e-spice (Nov 7, 2007)

Can you post photos of what the damage to the leaves look like? I would really be interested to see. Also, do you see thrips running around on the plants?

Thanks,
e-spice


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## Kyle (Nov 7, 2007)

e-spice said:


> Also, do you see thrips running around on the plants?



Yes, you can see them. They are dark, and long narrow. About ~ 1mm in length.

Kyle


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## Jorch (Nov 7, 2007)

Yes, as Kyle said, you can see those buggers. If they are as big as scale or mealy bugs, I would've picked them out and burn them alive. :evil:

I'll try to take some pictures of the damage. I picked up a bottle of Malathion last night, and will nuke my plants this weekend.


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## SlipperFan (Nov 7, 2007)

Jorch said:


> I picked up a bottle of Malathion last night, and will nuke my plants this weekend.



Be careful you don't nuke yourself in the process!


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## NYEric (Nov 8, 2007)

BTW, make sure to search the threads here about malathion and sterility and birth defects!


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