Thrip Larvae on Leaves

[Darkhorse]

I was inspecting my plants today, and found something that I hadn't seen before.  My Blue Ballerina doesn't have any buds on it, but some of the leaves were crawling with thrip larvae.  I knew what they were for sure-- after a couple of weeks of digging through thrip-infested buds that were dropping I'm positive of their ID, but thought this was weird as I only invision thrips on a plant that has buds.  Has anyone else seen this?  Those plants (none have buds, in fact) got hort-oiled today anyway, so hopefully that took care of it.


A side note, I think my yard is crawling with thrips.  Before the bud drop started, I noticed a large number of flies landing on the leaves of quite a few hibs, particularly the group I have over by the north fence.  The flies were so prevalent I at first thought my next door neighbors had left a bag of garbage on their side of the fence, but now month or so later with the bud drop issues I know know exactly what the little b@$tards were.  One healthy dose of acephate has already helped.  I need to buy some Spinosad (and soil, actually) but I'm waiting for the store update.  heh   

[helixturnhelix]

LOL, I need fert and booster, and I am waiting for the store update too   Any day now... I can feel it!

[Charlie]

First thrips - though little known except to rose and hibiscus gardeners, they exist all over world, and build to high numbers as spring gives way to summer. Even in Sweden, my first web master Yvonne used to get covered with them walking through fields near her home. Dave in AZ told me his rose blooms were badly affected by swarms of them this spring. I have had good luck treating mine with spinosad - 3 treatments in 2 weeks - and continue to recommend that approach.

Store Update - should happen later this week. We're talking about how best to do a complete inventory and after that the store will be updated - Thursday is my best guess.

Charlie

[Darkhorse]

I have already noticed a decrease in bud drop after spraying my plants 1x with acephate, but I'm definitely going to get the spinosad and only use acephate every 4th spraying or so, so as to discourage any resistance to spinosad.  I now am obsessed with killing any potential adult thrip I see flying around outside and carry my fly swatter out to check my plants. 


Thursday is a good day... am off that day, good for first pickins... hehe