Not Exactly a Banner Day

[Dusty Ol' Man]

If you have thrips outside, use Sevin granules on lawns and spray garden plants with the liquid version. Control them outside, then control them on the orchids. And I would be pulling out the malethion in a hurry. But that's just me...no mercy and real quick!

[thefish1337]

Spinosad works really good with thrips, make sure you use soft water and add a non-ionic surfactant like polysorbate 20 (easily bought on amazon or elsewhere). Follow the label and you should knock them out in 3 applications but always treat a few more times to be sure.

High quality, properly emulsified neem oil will also work well too.

[Clawhammer]

My advice was more applicable to an indoor greenhouse environment with many type of orchids. For outside control where the pests are endemic, I would look into natural controls like predatory mites and ladybugs.

Pyethrins and spinosad are the best pesticdes against thrips. If you go the pesticide royute, you have to rely on contact pesticide because systemics do not concentrate in high enough quantities in flower tissue to be effective. However, they can't be used in combination with mites or ladybugs.

[nemesis]

Thank you everybody for your advice. I much appreciate it, more than you could know. Fortunately, I only have a small collection inside my home. Outside is an acreage where only the brave fear to tread lol. These boogers are a nightmare. Kelly