Thrips are one of the more difficult-to-detect pests for gardeners because the damage they cause often appears to be the result of a nutrient deficiency or a disease rather than an insect infestation. There are more than 6,000 thrips species sucking the life from plants all over the world.
A common pest found in greenhouses and indoor/ outdoor gardens, thrips damage plants by sucking their juices and scraping at fruits, flowers and leaves. Plant leaves may turn pale, splotchy, and silvery, then die. Injured plants are twisted, discolored and scarred.
Adults are very small (less than 1/25 inch) straw-colored or black slender insects with two pairs of feathery wings. Without the use of a hand lens, they resemble tiny dark threads.
Thrips are tiny insects about the size of a sewing needle that feed on a variety of plants. Thrips, also known as thysanoptera or thunderflies, are sucking insects that can cause damage to plants. But when they spread viruses to plants, the damage they cause can multiply exponentially.
Despite having mouthparts made for piercing and sucking plant juices, thrips are too small to pierce human skin and are not drawn to bite people because they do not feed on blood.
As a proud owner of the gorgeous African corn lily (Ixia hybrida), I know just how distressing it can be to find your precious flowers infested with tiny thrips. These minuscule insects may be small, but they can cause big damage, leaving behind streaks of silver and distorted blooms.
While thrips on African corn lilies are common, their presence doesn’t have to spell disaster for your beloved plants. With some strategic preventative care and targeted treatment, you can get rid of thrips and restore the beauty of your African corn lilies.
In this article, I’ll cover everything you need to know about identifying, preventing, and treating thrips on African corn lily plants Consider this your complete guide to banishing thrips and bringing back the splendor of your corn lily blooms
What Are Thrips?
Thrips are tiny, slender insects that are often less than 1/25th of an inch long. There are thousands of species, but two common types that affect African corn lilies are western flower thrips and onions thrips.
These tiny bugs feed by puncturing plant cells and sucking out their contents. The damage they inflict can show up in a few different ways:
- Silvery streaks or patches on flowers and leaves from their feeding
- Distorted blooms and growth
- Dirt-like dark specks of thrips excrement
- Stunted new growth
Thrips have fringed wings that allow them to be agile fliers. They reproduce rapidly with females laying hundreds of eggs in the cracks, crevices or folds of plants. This lets their populations explode quickly.
Left unchecked, thrips can weaken and damage African corn lily plants But never fear – there are effective ways to control these bothersome bugs!
How to Identify Thrips on African Corn Lilies
Thrips are so tiny that they can be hard to spot. Here are some signs that these insects have invaded your African corn lilies:
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Silvery colored streaks or scarring on flowers and leaves from thrips feeding. This can make blooms look streaked or faded.
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Flowers appearing malformed, with petals twisted or curled. Thrips damage to emerging buds can distort their growth.
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Black dots of thrips excrement on flowers and leaves. Look for tiny black specks of poop, especially inside folded leaves and petals.
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Stunted, distorted new growth. Thrips feeding inhibits new shoot and leaf growth.
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Tiny dark winged insects that are visible on flowers. At just 1-2 millimeters long, thrips are hard to see. You may spot their dark wings or elongated bodies on lighter color blooms. Use a magnifying glass to get a close look.
Carefully inspect African corn lily blooms and new growth at the crown for any signs of damage. Early detection leads to quicker control of thrips infestations.
How to Prevent Thrips on African Corn Lilies
While thrips are common pests for African corn lilies, there are steps you can take to avoid infestations and keep these bugs at bay:
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Quarantine new plants – Isolate any new African corn lilies for a few weeks before introducing them to prevent thrips hitchhiking in on new plants.
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Remove weeds – Eliminate weeds around African corn lilies to take away thrips hiding spots and breeding areas.
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Avoid overhead watering – Water at the base of plants, as moisture on leaves can encourage thrips.
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Prune off damaged growth – Remove any distorted flowers or leaves, which can harbor thrips.
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Use reflective mulch – Silver or aluminum foil mulches can deter thrips from colonizing plants.
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Apply horticultural oil – Coating plants with neem or horticultural oil before bugs arrive makes them less inviting.
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Attract beneficials – Growing plants like daisies or Queen Anne’s lace can lure in predatory insects that will feed on thrips.
Taking preventative steps will help limit thrips populations and keep African corn lilies beautiful. But even with good cultural practices, thrips may still find their way to your precious Ixia hybrida. When they do, it’s time to take action!
How to Get Rid of Thrips on African Corn Lilies
If those telltale signs of silver scarring and distorted flowers indicate thrips have taken hold on your African corn lilies, don’t delay treatment. Getting rid of thrips as soon as possible can help save your plants. Here are proven methods:
Insecticidal Soap
Insecticidal soaps are effective on thrips while being gentle on plants. Look for a product containing potassium salts of fatty acids and apply it according to label directions. Spray leaves thoroughly, especially new growth, buds, and undersides of leaves where thrips hide. Two to three applications a week apart knocks down thrips populations.
Neem Oil
Extracted from the neem tree, this botanical insecticide smothers and disrupts the life cycle of thrips. Drench African corn lily leaves, stems, and flowers with neem oil twice a week for a few weeks. Neem oil is safe to use right up until the day of harvest.
Horticultural Oils and Insecticide Sprays
Light horticultural oils and insecticidal sprays containing pyrethrins are also options for thrips control. Apply to all plant parts according to label directions. For heavy infestations, spraying weekly for several weeks may be needed. Ensure thorough coverage.
Natural Predators
Some beneficial predatory insects like minute pirate bugs, lacewings, and predatory mites will feed on thrips. Attract them to your garden with companion plants. Or consider buying and releasing them near infested African corn lilies. They’ll naturally reduce thrips without chemicals.
Remove Infested Growth
Prune off badly damaged leaves, flowers, and new shoots where thrips may be feeding and reproducing. This removes some insects and protects new growth. Just be sure to discard the trimmed parts – don’t compost them.
Combining multiple control tactics is most effective for eliminating thrips. Insecticidal soap, neem, and predators will reduce their numbers, while pruning removes breeding sites. With diligence, you can wipe out thrips and restore the splendor of your African corn lilies.
How to Care for African Corn Lilies After Thrips Damage
Once thrips are under control, your African corn lilies may show some ill effects like stunted growth, scarred leaves, and deformed flowers. With proper care, they’ll recover from the damage. Here are some tips:
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Apply a nitrogen-rich fertilizer to fuel new growth after thrips feeding. Fish emulsion or compost tea give African corn lilies a nutritional boost.
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Prune back any severely damaged leaves or flowers, cutting to just above healthy growth. This tidies up plants and removes unsightly damage.
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Water consistently. Thrips stress plants, so regular watering aids recovery. Avoid wetting foliage which can encourage disease.
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Stake and support distorted stems and leaves until new healthy growth takes over.
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Plant in well-draining soil amended with compost. Good conditions aid the plant’s vitality.
With attentive care following thrips damage, African corn lilies will regain their beauty. It may take patience for flawless new flowers and foliage to emerge after the infestation, but your diligence will pay off.
Enjoy Thrips-Free African Corn Lilies
While thrips can threaten the splendor of African corn lilies, these pesky insects can be successfully managed. A little knowledge about their signs, habits, and control options empowers you to enjoy gorgeous thrips-free Ixia hybrida blooms.
Damage Caused by Thrips
Extremely active, thrips feed in large groups. They leap or fly away when disturbed. Host plants include onions, beans, carrots, squash and many other garden vegetables, and many flowers, especially gladioli and roses.
Both adults and the wingless larvae are attracted to white, yellow and other light colored blossoms and are responsible for spreading tomato spotted wilt virus and impatiens necrotic spot virus.
When thrips congregate in large numbers, they leave black, varnish-like fecal deposits on the undersides of leaves.
To feed, they use their single large mandible to puncture the epidermal layer of the host plant, then sip the cell sap as it flows into the wound. The foliage appears dusty or silvery and dull as a result of their feeding.
Some species are able to feed by burrowing between the upper and lower leaf surfaces. Blossoms can develop brown flecks and wither prematurely. Leaves that have been damaged become twisted, discolored, and scarred.
These symptoms resemble those of various fungal or viral diseases, and thrips are frequently responsible for the spread of plant viruses and other plant diseases. If the plant damage is caused by thrips, the leaves will almost always have black spots caused by the pest’s excrement.
Life Cycle of Thrips
The life cycle depends on the species of thrips as well as the location, host plant, and other factors.
Adults and pupae overwinter in garden soil. In spring, newly emerged females insert eggs into the tissues of flowers, leaves or stems. Female thrips, which are larger than males, can reproduce without male fertilization.
Each female can produce up to 80 eggs, which hatch within days in warm weather or weeks to months in colder weather. They become wingless larvae (nymphs), which feed on plant sap. After two or more nymphal stages, many thrips drop to the soil to pupate.
As soon as they reach maturity, nymphs pupate by forming cocoons on the plant or in the soil. Adults with wings emerge from cocoons after several days to begin the cycle again.
The population will be at its peak from late spring to midsummer. There may be 12-15 generations per year with the entire cycle from egg to adult requiring less than 16 days in warm weather.
Adult thrips overwinter in decaying plant debris, bark, and other materials. In early spring, they become active and lay eggs in plant tissue. Since thrips can survive the winter in the egg stage, removing plant debris is critical for thrip control.
Get Rid Of Thrips FAST! How To Treat + Prevent Thrips On Plants ❌
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