Texas advises public to watch for chilli thrips

Texas Cooperative Extension is advising home gardeners throughout the southern U.S. to be on the lookout for chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood. The pest attacks plants in 40 plant families. Susceptible plants include begonia, lisianthus, herbs, roses, pittosporum, ligustrum and Indian hawthorn.

Discovered in Florida two years ago, thrips have changed how landscape companies provide pest-control services, said Scott Ludwig, extension entomologist and IPM specialist at Texas Cooperative Extension.

Although the pests are easily killed with insecticides, no pesticides have been found to provide long-term preventive control. Insecticides have had to be applied every 2-3 weeks whenever plants produce a new flush of growth. Ludwig doesn’t recommend preventive sprays because beneficial insects are likely to be killed.

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For more: Texas Cooperative Extension, (979) 845-7800; http://texasextension.tamu.edu.