Description
Thrips scrape openings in plant tissue to feed on plant juices and lay their eggs inside. These minute cuts cause silvery flecks on foliage and silver or brown blemishes on flowers and buds. They chew and suck plants vigorously scraping away the chlorophyl on leaves where they feed. Thrips look like tiny elongated flies, light or dark brown 1/2″ long with 2 pair of narrow feathery wings. Damage is silimlar to that of a mite, silvery or bronzy stippled foliage where they feed. Dry plants are more likley to be attacked, so keep properly irrigated and rinse off leaves every couple of days to discourange insects. Treat with Malathion.