Attack of the Thrips!

So I officially have Thrips (I can only identify the larvae at this point). I do not have a lot and i don't want to try to spray, wash or fog them this late in the game as I have about a week left of flowering. I've found a few posts that say Thrips will not feed on leaves with trichomes. Can anyone confirm this? As of yet, I can't find any on the buds. If they do start going after the buds i am going to be pissed, especially after picking off hundreds of dead fungus gnats from my last harvest. I'm not sure what smoking Thrips tastes like but I don't want to find out.
 

thesmokering

Well-Known Member
They stay in the soil. You can grow with them around, but it actually may help to leave another food source around, like some fruit peels and apple cores and stuff. The bugs attracted to that will be more successfull and outcompete the thrips since they will have such an easy food source. I am pretty sure that usual soil grows are not the easiest food source for thrips so they would rather have something else. Once the thrips are on the fruit, just close the bag around them and throw them out. Sticky strips work pretty good on the adult thrips too. You should be fine as far as the buds though, I have had them and they do not like the buds at all (they get suck in the trichromes and once in a while there is a thrip stuck to the plant but this is a very small number of them anyways)
 
OK, so I did a little more research on my plants and found some on my buds (or at least the trichome covered leaves next to the buds.:( Here are some pics to confirm. They may not be eating these leaves, but they are cruising around on them (and potentially getting stuck). Well, this sucks. I am thinking of getting some ladybugs from the local nursery. Does anyone have experience with using ladybugs on Thrips? I know I can purchase more effective predators, but I'll need to mail order them and I don't really want the hassle. What about ladybug poo on the buds?
 

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Beautiful

Member
I have a thrips problem.. its been an ongoing battle from day one.. seems to be impossible to get rid of. I tried lady bugs, but if you have ANY holes in ur room they will disappear within a few days...make sure you've tuct taped well. No cracks around the doog. Mine all escaped from non-sealed room... excaped through wire holes.
As for lady bug poo... I wouldn't worry about it because thrips leave behind TONS OF POO!!! Id much rather have small amounts of lady bug poo than tons thrips poo! lol But lady bugs munch on the thrips alot. There is also a Thrips Predator that you can buy, they sell them in bug factorys along with lady bugs. They are a little more expensive though. Lady bugs eat different kinds of bugs, so its good to use if you are having a multi bug problem.
I use Einstein oil, its the most effective oil. Most neem oils are NOT as potent...make sure you look at the oil you're buying before you buy it. It should be very thick, if it isn't they are probably selling you something cheap and non effective.
Seems kind of odd that you are noticing the thrips when they're in bud, usually its a problem from the beginning when they're small. Make sure the room is bleached from floor to ceiling when everything is out.
As long as all ur leaves are not falling off and curling from the bugs it should be okay and you can spray while they're in bud, it would not hurt the plant.
Hope this helps. :)
 

thesmokering

Well-Known Member
I use einstein oil sometimes, but I always found it was better when I went without it. Spraying anything as thick as that stuff on your plant does have an effect, although it could actually be a fertilizer as well. Spraying anything late into flower will strongly affect the taste and smell of your bud.
 
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