These are thrips, aren't they.

[Ray]

While I disagree with Bill’s conclusion jumping, the BioAdvanced (Bayer) products, such as the 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control, are pretty good, generally easily gotten, and relatively odor-free.

I have gotten lucky with an extended summer this year and my plants are still outside - it’s supposed to be in the 80’s tomorrow - but I do thorough treatments with OrganiShield, as they can come in any day now. It has a very mild scent and kills adults, juveniles, and eggs on contact.

UFL extension field guide to thrips

 

[hkunberger]

I don’t have anything useful to add to what has already been said, but I do want to congratulate you on your pregnancy!

 

[Morja]

While I disagree with Bill’s conclusion jumping, the BioAdvanced (Bayer) products, such as the 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control, are pretty good, generally easily gotten, and relatively odor-free.

I have gotten lucky with an extended summer this year and my plants are still outside - it’s supposed to be in the 80’s tomorrow - but I do thorough treatments with OrganiShield, as they can come in any day now. It has a very mild scent and kills adults, juveniles, and eggs on contact.

UFL extension field guide to thrips

That sounds lovely, as we have snow on the ground here already!
Thank you for the recommendations and the reading!

 

[Morja]

I don’t have anything useful to add to what has already been said, but I do want to congratulate you on your pregnancy!

Thank you!

 

[Tom-DE]

BioAdvanced (Bayer) products, such as the 3-in-1 Insect, Disease, & Mite Control, are pretty good,

Bayer 3-in-1 is very good indeed...a systemic insecticide, it will continue to kill insects for months. I have been using it on orchids and garden plants for years, but I also rotate it with other insecticides.
PS, when you spray insecticides(indoor or outdoor), please wear a mask, gloves, long pants, and a long-sleeve shirt, basically you should cover yourself from head to toe, especially for pregnant women(but not recommended). if it is for indoor spraying, turn off the fans before you do that(you can turn it back on after spraying), and don't come back till the plants are all dry(some products recommend 24 hrs for greenhouse).

 

[Pleurothallidan]

You've gotten a lot of good advice here, so I'll try not to repeat too much, but I'm personally a fan of using soap just because I don't want to spray harsh chemicals indoors. I had thrips on some Nepenthes pitcher plants a few years ago which I treated with soapy water. Just a few drops of palmolive dish soap in a 500ish mL spray bottle with distilled/ RO water. I drenched the plant twice a week with this soapy solution and treated for about a month and a half. Seemed to do the trick, but the catch is you need to be consistent and thorough.

 

[Morja]

You've gotten a lot of good advice here, so I'll try not to repeat too much, but I'm personally a fan of using soap just because I don't want to spray harsh chemicals indoors. I had thrips on some Nepenthes pitcher plants a few years ago which I treated with soapy water. Just a few drops of palmolive dish soap in a 500ish mL spray bottle with distilled/ RO water. I drenched the plant twice a week with this soapy solution and treated for about a month and a half. Seemed to do the trick, but the catch is you need to be consistent and thorough.

Also a good idea! And very simple. If I'm treating regularly anyway something like this might work no problem

 

[Ray]

Wow! I totally missed the pregnant part. Congratulations.

In that case, I definitely recommend the OrganiShield, as it is not a toxin at all. It is a “super surfactant” that strips protective layers off any soft-bodied insect or mite, including juveniles and eggs, leading to a quick death. It has limited residual-, and no systemic effect, so must come into direct contact the pest, but being safe to use, repetition is easy. I keep a quart spray bottle of solution on hand for spot treatments, as needed.

I have a lot of honey bees visiting my plantings, and it has no effect on them. The active ingredient is approved for killing varroa mites in beehives.

 

[Morja]

Wow! I totally missed the pregnant part. Congratulations.

In that case, I definitely recommend the OrganiShield, as it is not a toxin at all. It is a “super surfactant” that strips protective layers off any soft-bodied insect or mite, including juveniles and eggs, leading to a quick death. It has no systemic effect, so must come into direct contact the pest, but being safe to use, repetition is easy. I keep a quart spray bottle of solution on hand for spot treatments, as needed.

I have a lot of honey bees visiting my plantings, and it has no effect on them. The active ingredient is approved for killing varroa mites in beehives.

Haha thank you!

Okay, that is great to know! It would be a weekly treatment at this point?

 

[Ray]

Haha thank you!

Okay, that is great to know! It would be a weekly treatment at this point?

Yeah. Three thorough treatments at one-week intervals should do it.

I generally use 1 ounce/gallon, but if the bugs are really bad, doubling that is fine.

 

[southernbelle]

I fought thrips for a year trying different things. Most suppress only. I decided, because they move from plant to plant and thereby spread virus, to go for the big gun. St. Augustine OS has the pest/disease charts on what to use. Overture 35 WP is systemic, and is specific for thrips and caterpillars alone. I can tell you, it works! Two applications 14-28 days apart are recommended. It took care of it and the best part is it’s labeled as CAUTION, the lowest level of toxicity for a chemical. Now I make sure they don’t affect blooms ever again—I spritz each time buds break the sheath. If you look at my other thread on this, you will see the only negative is you must buy it in far greater volume than you need. It was worth it to me to eradicate thrips. I’d be happy to share 2oz with you at my cost. PM me if you are interested.

 

[Charles Jordan]

View attachment 50350
I suddenly have 5 phrags with signs of damage.

And if they're not thrips, what are they?

I'm ready to nuke em, the only problem being that I am first-trimester pregnant and that complicates chemical exposure and I need to be extra careful. I am not above making my husband suit up and apply something though. Recommendations?? Thank you!

I’m fine doing this pretty much every time I water, which is about twice a week. I could put some alcohol in a small spray bottle to make it easier and spray from all angles until it’s almost dripping off the leaves would that work? I can keep it up for at least a month.

 

[southernbelle]

I’m fine doing this pretty much every time I water, which is about twice a week. I could put some alcohol in a small spray bottle to make it easier and spray from all angles until it’s almost dripping off the leaves would that work? I can keep it up for at least a month.

You might cool the leaves too much as the excess alcohol evaporates, Especially on finer leaved plants.

 

[Morja]

You might cool the leaves too much as the excess alcohol evaporates, Especially on finer leaved plants.

My plants are drying out faster too. I'm not a huge fan of alcohol, but have some other stuff on the way.

 

[Heather]

Sorry, I just saw your message today!
Yeah, immature are orange and mature are black, at least in my Phrag collection! Sadly I think the same source from your DM.

I was told to treat every three days and did that for several weeks. I alternated Organishield and Captain Jack’s Deadbug (that worked fast!) and after about three weeks of that treatment they’ve lessened. Haven’t seen a live one lately. When I do, I treat immediately. However came here to post this…this weird color break on my MDC is thrip damage right? This is the third flower, other two were perfect.

 

[Heather]

Yeah. Three thorough treatments at one-week intervals should do it.

I generally use 1 ounce/gallon, but if the bugs are really bad, doubling that is fine.

Thanks Ray, for more info on this!

 

[southernbelle]

Sorry, I just saw your message today!
Yeah, immature are orange and mature are black, at least in my Phrag collection! Sadly I think the same source from your DM.

I was told to treat every three days and did that for several weeks. I alternated Organishield and Captain Jack’s Deadbug (that worked fast!) and after about three weeks of that treatment they’ve lessened. Haven’t seen a live one lately. When I do, I treat immediately. However came here to post this…this weird color break on my MDC is thrip damage right? This is the third flower, other two were perfect.

That color break is not something I've ever seen with thrips. Thrips usually dry the flowers around the edges or create dry spots. That is color break. Although in rare cases it could be an anomaly, I'd check for viruses.

 

[Heather]

That color break is not something I've ever seen with thrips. Thrips usually dry the flowers around the edges or create dry spots. That is color break. Although in rare cases it could be an anomaly, I'd check for viruses.

Hmmm, I was under the impression that thrips do cause color break….can anyone else weigh in here?

 

[southernbelle]

Thrips can spread viruses that cause color break which is why it’s so important to be on top of them. Sue’s article says what can appear to be color break can be caused by them and shows an example on buds, but I think you would see other damage as well.
https://staugorchidsociety.org/PDF/ThripsonOrchidsbySueBottom.pdf

 

[hkunberger]

This might be helpful.
https://www.aos.org/webinars/orchids-for-everyone-pests-diseases-and-troubleshooting-problems