Re: Thrips in Nepenthes terrariums
dave evans (T442119@RUTADMIN.RUTGERS.EDU)
Thu, 25 Apr 96 22:52 EDT
> From: phil@WIGHT.COM(Philip F. Wight)
>
> I have a bad case of thrips in two of my lowland Nepenthes terrariums.
> Each terrarium has between 30-50 plants of varying size, virtually all with
> traps. I have used various chemicals in the past but I have also burned a
> lot of leaves. What would you experts recommend for a general spray for
> the tanks that would kill the thrips but not damage the plants? How often
> should I apply it?
Phil,
Place a whole bunch of P.moranensis(sp?) and various hybrids
in there, thrips, moths, larvae of insects and even scale (I
have to place the scale on them) are gobbled up by mine. Thrips
live in the soil, I think, and come out, jump onto the plants to
feed. So spraying the plants themselves would have minimal effect.
But when they jump/fly onto a Mexican butterwort, forget it.
Do I have good solution or will eat the butterworts as well, when
their numbers are high enough?
Dave Evans