Pest Alert: Chilli Thrips

Recognize the warning signs of these insects before they destroy your roses

The chilli thripid ( Scirtothrips dorsalis ) has become a serious trouble in Southern California . This is a diminished dirt ball native to Southeast Asia that has made its way to the United States , first appear in Florida and Texas . Although it is quite mobile — able to fly up to 60 human foot on a wind current — it has most probably been brought in on plants . Chilli thrips attack more than 150 specie of plant , but one of their pet plants to feed on are roses ( Rosaspp . and cvs . , Zones 3–9 ) . This is because they choose young growth , which roses are continually bring about .

You may be more conversant with the western heyday thrips ( Frankliniella occidentalis ) . The chilli thrips are only about a third of the size but are even more deadly . They have pierce , razorlike mouthparts that cut open and sop up the life out of industrial plant material .

To get more information , I spoke to local expert Tom Carruth , E. L. & Ruth B. Shannon Curator , Rose Collections , at the Huntington Library , Art Museum , and Botanical Gardens in San Marino , California , a suburb of Pasadena . Carruth ’s first reports of chilli thrips sightings were from gardeners in the San Fernando Valley in 2014 , and by September 2015 they had moved into Pasadena . They are heat - loving insects that are not interested in traveling anywhere cold or freeze . Their activity is engender by extreme heat , specifically triple - digit temperatures .

Since the Huntington has a spectacular ( and legendary ) three - Akka rose garden , its caretakers must be specially vigilant and proactive in their approaching . Carruth ’s attack strategy is multipronged . He and his team have bring in natural predators in the form of minute pirate hemipteran ( Orius insidiosus ) and lacewing fly . They have lend good fungus and nematodes to the ground to affect the larvae . They also have a programme of spray organic insecticides , hold open track of the weather , and spray right before a warmth wave .

Since the thrip are so small , you will most likely not see them in your own garden , but be on the sentry for the signs of their activity : crinkled and deformed leaves , leaves roll upwards , browning on the cane , and browning or discolouration on buds and blossom .

I also speak to fellow landscape painting interior decorator Linda McKendry of Linda McKendry Design , who specializes in rose care . McKendry says that if you find signs of plague , “ you’re able to not ignore it . ” You should immediately thin off any sham blooms , buds , or leaf and pocket them , tying the old bag tightly before throwing it in the chalk . calculate for any plant material that has fallen to the reason , and dispose of that in the same way . Be sure not to put any of this material in your compost pile .

Spraying with an constitutive insect powder is good as well . You do not have to spray the entire works — just concentrate on the unexampled growing . Neem oil and a spinosad such as Captain Jack ’s or Monterey Garden Insect Spray are some intersection you may find readily in your local garden centre . you could reprise the spray once a workweek until symptom vanish and/or the weather cool off in the fall . I recommend spraying at least three times , alternating between the neem and the spinosad . There are other type of sprays available , but I am an organic kind of gal and so will only advocate those , as do Carruth and McKendry .

So , gardeners , do not despair over these thrips . Just remember when you block up to smack the roses to check for thrips and take them earnestly .

Francesca Corra , APLD , is a nationally certified landscape designer and owner of Dirt Diva pattern in Studio City , California .

o.k. Gardening Recommended Cartesian product

Corona High Performance Orchard Loppers

Fine horticulture receive a commission for items purchase through link on this web site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs .

Medium Nut Wizard 14 " for English Walnuts , Chestnuts , Golf Balls

Get our tardy tips , how - to articles , and instructional video sent to your inbox .

Signing you up …

Pest Alert: Watch Out for Zimmerman Pine Moth

Pest Alert: Kudzu Beetle

How to Manage Pests Sustainably with IPM

Pest Alert: Agave Snout Weevil

Join Fine Gardening for a innocent engaging resilient webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant pathologist as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamentals technological coach …

When I spot a particular guts dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few months ago , I know I was in trouble . With a delightful color pattern …

When we only prioritize plants we want over plants our landscape needs , each season is filled with a never - ending list of task : pruning , pilfer , watering , treating , amending , and fertilizing , with …

Video

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden interior designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re probable to trip on something , but because you might be dive - flush it by a pair …