The perils of paradise (Phrag. Haley Decker)

[KateL]

This Haley Decker seems to be still getting bigger and is clocking in at about 13 cm n.s. today, but it got ravaged by thrips overnight. There is much to like about my current location, particularly having grown up on the frozen tundra of the northern Midwest, but the abundance of orchid-eating bugs is a bummer.

 

[MaxC]

Oh no! Thank stinks, sorry to hear that KateL. On the upside you live in Hawaii .

 

[abax]

Thrips are hideous and terribly hard to get rid of. Can
you get Orthene? It's the best chemical I know of to be
rid of them for good.

 

[NYEric]

Yay besseae hybrids! Get some sticky, yellow traps!

 

[likespaphs]

Have you looked into beneficials?
There is a predatory mite/parasitic nematode combo (I think) that is super effective

 

[KateL]

I am certainly open to the idea, but am not sure that’s available/allowable in Hawaii.
We have a particularly unfortunate, albeit convoluted, history with nematodes and the use of Heptachlor to kill them. I’m not even sure how a nematode, which is a worm of course, would have access to the thrips, which fly from flower to flower. Yet, there is a lot I don’t know. Interesting.