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Thrips (Thysanoptera) or popularly known as thunderstorm creatures, flies and worms, include over 200 different species. When it gets warm and humid, they cavort around plants. You don't stop at attacks on people. They are a nuisance and will damage plants if nothing is done about them. Information on what to do to get rid of them is here.
thrips
In order to be able to choose the optimal measure to control thrips, it is necessary that the thrips are identified as such. They can be recognized by the following details:
optical aspects
- Size: one to three millimeters
- Colour: dark brown to brown-black
- Wings: long and frayed on the outer sides
- Black and white horizontal stripes on wings
- Despite having wings, not good flying skills
- Often move forward by crawling or being carried along by winds
- Often found on the underside of leaves
- Larvae: whitish to yellowish colored
- Larvae are wingless
plant damage
- Yellowish discoloration on the outer leaf areas
- Later discoloration into silvery-white
- Mottles and stains at an advanced stage
- Minimal small black dots on leaves (parasite droppings)
- growth disorders
- Shoots become increasingly crippled
notice: The plant damage picture of the Thysanoptera shows a strong similarity with that of the spider mites. There is a risk of confusion here, which is why clear identification is required because they require different control measures.
Favorite plants
Theoretically, thunderstorm creatures can appear anywhere and on any plant. In order to get rid of them, it is helpful to know not only the recognition and the damage picture, but also which plants they primarily attack, in order to keep a close eye on them. Some examples are given below:
indoor plants
- Cyclamen (cyclamen)
- Dragon Trees (Dracaena)
- Flamingo Flower (Anthurium)
- Gloxinia (Sinningia)
- Rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
- Hibiscus (Hibiscus)
- Club Lily (Cordyline)
- Orchids (Orchidaceae)
- Palm family (Arecaceae)
- Knight Star (Hippeastrum)
- House Aralia (Fatsia japonica)
garden and bedding plants
- Dahlias (Dahlia)
- Busy Lizzie (Impatiens walleriana)
- Gerbera (Gerbera)
- Broom (Genista)
- Gladiolus (gladiolus)
- Laburnum (Laburnum
- Autumn chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum indicum)
- roses (pink)
- African violet (Saintpaulia ionantha)
crops
- Eggplant (Solanum melongena)
- Basil (Ocimum basilicum)
- Strawberries (Fragaria)
- Cucumbers (Cucumis sativus)
- Mint (Mentha)
- Paprika (Capsicum)
- Parsley (Petroselinum crispum)
- Sage (Salvia)
- Tomatoes (Lycopersicon)
fight thrips
Getting rid of the Thysanoptera is necessary for several reasons:
- Fungal pathogens penetrate damaged cells more quickly through the suction holes
- Sucking out the sap weakens plants to the point of dying
- Rapid multiplication and widespread spread possible
- Sting people and can cause painful, inflammatory puncture wounds and swelling
Fight chemically
Control with chemical agents is possible, but should be taken as a last resort if no environmentally friendly home remedy helps or a huge infestation needs to be killed as quickly as possible. When using chemical products, it should be taken into account that in many cases they also kill insects that are useful for nature and the ecological system. They are also harmful to the environment and sometimes harmful to health.
home remedies to get rid of
First measure: isolation
If thunderstorm creatures are detected, the first step is to do something to prevent them from spreading to nearby plants. This means that affected plants must be isolated immediately.
Home remedies with A
Soak up
The easiest and "cleanest" way to control thrips is by vacuuming. The chances of catching them all are good because they are not good flying animals. Bag vacuums are best suited here, so that after vacuuming, the bag can be closed and disposed of with household waste. However, if they remain in the vacuum cleaner, they crawl out again.
tip: In the case of particularly sensitive plants, you should avoid vacuuming, as the suction of air can damage the leaves.
shower off
With a minimal Thysanoptera infestation, it is usually sufficient to shower the plant with a hard jet of water. Cool water is ideal, which will make them flee if they haven't already been washed away.
notice: Did you know that the appearance of thunderstorm creatures can actually herald the onset of a thunderstorm? Before it cools down and the humidity increases, the thrips become particularly active in search of plant sap and moisture absorption, for example through body sweat.
Home remedies from K - N
Garlic nettle broth
In addition to fighting thrips, the garlic and nettle brew has the property of helping plants to develop more defenses. This allows you to get rid of the annoying pests and at the same time strengthen the plant. This is particularly useful if there is extensive damage. This is how production and application work:
- Dip 500 grams of nettles in two liters of warm water
- Add 150 grams of crushed garlic
- Allow to steep for around 12 hours, stirring occasionally
- Drain the water and pour into a watering can or spray container
- Wet the whole plant vigorously with broth
- Smell drives them away - otherwise repeat several times at short intervals
garlic tea
If a garlic and nettle brew is too complicated/time-consuming to prepare, you can use garlic alone to combat it. Adding paraffin will make stubborn thunderflies stick together if the smell doesn't drive them away. A tea should be made from this and the affected plants should be watered and sprayed several times. How to prepare:
- Chop or press about 150 grams of garlic
- Soak in two liters of water for 24 hours
- Finally add two teaspoons of paraffin
neem oil
Neem oil is a natural product extracted from the neem tree. It is particularly effective against the larvae of thunderworms. Like soapy water, it clogs the respiratory tract and causes the thrips to suffocate. Neem oil is available as a ready-to-use product. However, it can also be mixed with water as follows, so that smaller amounts of the oil are used:
- Add a tablespoon of neem oil to a liter of water
- Add a tablespoon of washing powder (ensures the combination of oil and water)
- Then shake vigorously
- Pour into a spray bottle
- Spray directly onto the Thysanoptera
tip: Experience shows that you can have a hard time getting rid of thrips with neem oil alone. Here it is advisable to use another home remedy at the same time or to prefer it to neem oil.
Home remedies from S - T
soapy water
An effective household remedy is soapy water, which also kills other pests such as lice. The light soap film settles on the body and closes the respiratory organs. Adding oil increases the effect, so that the thunderstorm creatures suffocate as a result. The preparation is done quickly and the application is simple:
- Add a squirt of washing-up liquid to a liter of water and stir
- Add two tablespoons of olive oil
- Pour into an atomizer/spray container
- Apply directly to thrips (spray dripping wet)
- If necessary, repeat every 12 or 24 hours until thunderflies have died
tobacco brew
The use of tobacco or nicotine suds is very controversial. It is considered a high-grade neurotoxin that can be used excellently against thrips, but was banned by law in pesticides years ago. The tobacco brew of six cigarettes is enough to kill a small child if consumed. Since the nicotine gets into the fruit and stays there, the tobacco brew must never be used on crops. However, if the risk of health hazards does not deter them from using ornamental plants, you can make the tobacco brew and use it to control thrips, as described below:
- Put 200 grams of tobacco in a sealable container
- Boil a liter of water and pour over the tobacco
- Close the container and let the contents steep for at least an hour
- Then sieve out the tobacco residue
- Fill the brew into a spray container and spray the thunderstorm creatures generously with it
- To kill thrips larvae and eggs, dilute broth with irrigation water and then pour onto soil (ratio 1:5)
blue panels
Blue boards for controlling pests are so-called glue traps. However, they are not to be confused with yellow panels, which are not effective for this type of pest. With blue panels, however, the thunderstorm creatures are easy to fight or to reduce the number. Since they are only effective for flying thrips and only a few crawling thrips can reach them, blue panels should always be used in addition to other home remedies. Only then can all specimens present be combated.
Natural predators
If the thunderstorm creatures are outdoors and you want to get rid of them, natural predators offer an ideal solution. These are sometimes less common in the garden, but can be obtained from specialist retailers and then exposed to the affected plants. These include:
- predatory mites
- hoverflies
- ants
- ladybug
- Parasitic nematodes (roundworms - ideal for controlling larvae and for use in the substrate and in house plants)
change living conditions
Thrips love dryness and warm air, which is why they swarm around in the summer as well as in houses during the winter heating season. In order to be able to get rid of them here again, it is usually sufficient to create a less suitable living environment for them. It works like this:
- Ensure significantly higher humidity
- In heated rooms, we recommend an electric humidifier or, alternatively, coasters/bowls filled with water)
- Always position the humidifier close to the heater
- Spray plants with water several times a week
- Never allow substrates to dry out completely (provided the respective plant requirements allow it)
Prevent thunderstorm creatures
The best fight is prevention. Some things can be done so that the thrips do not infest in the first place or at least do not spread:
- Carry out regular checks on the preferred plants
- Pay attention to continuously higher humidity (avoid dry air)
- Immobilize and keep them at a distance by spraying plants
- Strengthen plants through optimal care so that they are armed against damage
- Occasionally spray neem oil or tea tree oil on plants
- Ensure that useful insects are/remain present as predators (usually only possible with garden plants)