As usual, we recommend you to have your growing space and its surroundings clean and free from dead plant material, etc. Using blue adhesive strips for thrips allows us to kill most adults, being also usefull to check if we actually have thrips in our crop, since they’ll get “glued” to these strips.
Thrips are one of the most common pests in cannabis crops, especially in indoor growing spaces and greenhouses. These are one of the smallest winged insects, measuring 1.2mm (females) and 0.9mm (males) when adults. Eggs measure around 200 microns and are withish in colour, being layed in the plant tissues. Normally, thrips are found on the underside of the leaves.
There are many varieties of Thrips, being the Frankliniella Occidentalis – also known as western flower thrips – the most commonly found in cannabis plants.
Using potassium soap or natural pyrethrins regularly will help us to prevent the appearance of thrips, also to erradicate them if we don’t want to use chemicals. Expelex works great for this pupose.
The western flowers thrip is originary from California and was introduced in La Península (Almería) in 1986 from Holland, causing considerable damage to cotton crops. Today, it is one of the most common pests worlwide, since it can damage a large number of plant species.
While not being extremely agressive with plants, thrip pests are common in indoor growing tents or rooms. As happens with red spider mites, thrips need high temperatures to appear and can be persistent if not treated properly. The first signs are small silver dots/stains on the surface of the leaves, which are the places were thrips have bit or layed their eggs.
We can also use natural predators such as Ambliselius cucumeris or Ambliselius degenerans, also the bedbug called Orius laeviatae.
Potassium soap helps to prevent and erradicate thrips
Cannabis leaf with symptoms of thrip infestation
Thrips are a very common pest in cannabis plants, especially in indoor growing spaces or greenhouses. If you want to know ore about this pest and how
The best way to rid yourself of thrips is to never have an infestation in the first place. Make sure that you thoroughly sanitise your growing space before you begin. This means not only keeping the place spotless, but removing all dead plant matter.
The most damaging thrip threat to cannabis comes from a species called Frankliniella occidentalis. These thrips are yellowish-white flying bugs. They lay their eggs on the plant itself. The first signs of their presence are small, silver stains or dots on the underside of leaves. This is how thrips lay their eggs. They are also easy to miss.
Worse? While not a significant threat to outdoor growers, they thrive inside. Indoor grows and greenhouses are their favourite environments. They love high temperatures. Thrips can also be persistent if not treated properly. And if not eliminated early, they can significantly reduce yields.
Spinosad products are also organic and harmless to pets, children, and plants. Spinosad is an organic pesticide made from the fermentation of certain kinds of soil bacteria. This form of insecticide can be used both as a topical spray and at the roots. When added to water, these products are only good for about 24 hours, so only mix what you need at any given time.
Eradicating thrips once they have established a presence is the only way to save your crops and prevent a new infestation. The best method (without using harsh chemicals) is to use potassium soap or neem oil. Pyrethrins and rotenone are also good options, although use sparingly as pyrethrins are also highly toxic to bees.
Growing cannabis can be an exciting and rewarding hobbie. But what happens if others decide to enjoy your cherished crop before you do?
Thrips are a common problem faced by canna-cultivators. They are a minute pest that literally suck the plant sap out of your crop. Thrips also come in several different species. They can be tiny winged insects (measuring in the millimetres), or they can look like small, pale worms.
Thrips are a common threat to cannabis cultivators. They are small pests that look like little worms or flying insects. They are tough to get rid of and survive by sucking the sap out of your plants. Here is a quick guide to spotting thrips, and a few ideas for preventing and controlling an infestation.
If you want to use chemicals to clean your space and crop, try to use the least toxic substances available. Remember to use both masks and gloves when handling all toxic chemicals.
Thrips are a common pest facing indoor cannabis cultivators. They can seriously damage the plant and lower yields. Here is a guide on how to get rid of them.