Mites and other critters on sphagnum moss

[Chen]

Found some adult thrips on some of my N. boschiana. I had attributed the mutilated leaf growth due to the plants recovering from cold damage it had suffered during transport but seems it's still due to thrips.

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

If it's not a lot of area to cover, you can pick them off with forceps or sticky tape on a daily basis.

 

[Chen]

If it's not a lot of area to cover, you can pick them off with forceps or sticky tape on a daily basis.

So far it's affected two of the plants. I'm likely not going to bother with manual removal using forceps or sticky tape but rather using a jettison of water from my sprayer.

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

The problem is that they will still be alive to come back and bug you.

 

[Chen]

I should clarify that I am spraying them with the plant tilted over a sink and isolating the affected plants in a separate area.

 

[pitcherperfect]

Thrips spend part of their life cycle inside the leaf so they are really tough to get rid of by wiping leaves or applying non-systemic pesticides.
I have had success using Neoseiulus cucumeris mites to treat thrips in my plants. You need to get on it quickly or overwhelm the thrips with a LOT of mites because thrips reproduce very quickly

 

[Chen]

Thrips spend part of their life cycle inside the leaf so they are really tough to get rid of by wiping leaves or applying non-systemic pesticides.
I have had success using Neoseiulus cucumeris mites to treat thrips in my plants. You need to get on it quickly or overwhelm the thrips with a LOT of mites because thrips reproduce very quickly

I found thrips in different stages of instar hiding between the leaves hence why I opted for a jet of water to dislodge them into the sink. I just ordered a systemic insecticide from Willy so we'll see how that goes.

 

[peggylikesplants]

I need to try systemics sometime! I’ve enjoyed using predatory bugs (Orius insidiosus) for thrips. They also prey on spider mites and aphids. I appreciate that they fly around so you don’t have to apply them to plants individually and they’re also fairly big. If you use them preventatively, and they run out of prey or alternate food (they like pollen, supposedly), you’ll notice that they’re gone.

 

[Lloyd Gordon]

I picked/Solder suckered them off. Tedious and must be repeated often to get good control. Does work. I have good close vision. Thrips quickly get resistance to insecticides.

 

[pitcherperfect]

I need to try systemics sometime! I’ve enjoyed using predatory bugs (Orius insidiosus) for thrips. They also prey on spider mites and aphids. I appreciate that they fly around so you don’t have to apply them to plants individually and they’re also fairly big. If you use them preventatively, and they run out of prey or alternate food (they like pollen, supposedly), you’ll notice that they’re gone.

I held off applying my beneficial bugs in the new greenhouse until now because I was letting the springtail population get established. But now that those guys have taken over the greenhouse, the predatory bugs should stay well fed. I released a few types of mites and a bunch of rove beetles today.