Best Thrips treatment?

[SaraJean]

Ugh, thrips. I don’t seem to have much of a problem with spider mites but I keep getting thips attacking my dendrobiums year after year so maybe it does have something to do with heat and humidity levels. What seemed to work best for me this year was a good old dish soap and water soak, spray with dilute oil/dish soap/water mixture every 7-10 days for a month or so. I’m also trying out treating with beneficial nematodes on about half of my collection. I have no problem spraying with chemicals (I tried this for the first two years of getting thrips) but i don’t treat things with insecticides prophylactically and I don’t want any bugs to start building up a resistance. if I need to bust out the big guns I can, but so far the more natural way has been working well for me this year

[Rothrock42]

As pointed way back in this thread, part of the thrip lifecycle is as pupae in the medium. To break the cycle you need to get them at that stage too.

A friend of mine used predatory nematodes sucessfully. They are microscopic parasites that only attack insects. She also has birds and didn't want to use anything that could hurt them, so many of the toxic poisons weren't "on the table."

I live in a state where marijuana is legal so there are many hydroponic growing stores that sell the nematodes on a little sponge. You keep it refrigerated until you are ready to use, soak it in a gallon or two of water and then water your plants with it.

The nematodes like it dark and moist so depending upon your conditions they can last for quite awhile in the medium and keep killing.

[Dennis B]

Has anyone ever considered literally removing and baking the medium at a low oven temperature to erradicate larvae and eggs? I'm thinking of trying that so I don't have to replace it, or dick around with nematodes which sadly I've had DoA a few times.

[Intruder]

Good informations on thrips Here also.

[estación seca]

In southern states like Florida or Lousiana thrips are part of the natural fauna. You can't get rid of them once and for all. So you must be careful, watch for them and treat as soon as possible. It will be an ongoing issue as long as you grow orchids.

The same situation applies with spider mites in a lot of the US. They're established in the landscape here in Phoenix, Arizona. They cannot be eliminated from a collection, only controlled.