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Indestructible Thrips

slownickel

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
You need to understand the life cycle to deal with any bug, especially thrips! It takes up to 20 days from egg to adult. The adults can live up to 35 days and can lay up to 20 eggs per day. The eggs are ovideposited (layed) under the epidermis (skin) of the leaf.

Spinosad works because it IS TRANSLAMINAR. It will get into the leaf. When the larvae from the egg eat their way out, they digest the spinosad that is on their egg. Do the math, you need to treat thrips several times to knock them back. Put up stickly cardboard at the soil level.

Nematodes help in the soil as well.

You will find residue 40 days after application. Then it disappears. Don't apply in flower.

You didn't hear it from me...
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
You're right on the money slownickel. Bugs are slaves to their breeding cycle. Eliminate the original source, then break the breeding cycle of the ones which are left. Spinosad works a treat. :)

In addition, most (not all) thrips have a part of their life-cycle in the soil. DE works as mentioned with these types. I've used rinsed Gnat Nix and would recommend it as a solution over DE. It's basically perlite made from recycled glass, so it still works when wet.
 

The_Skunkist

~~ Auto Ninja ~~
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Original source is a stressing and weak plant that attracts pests as usual .
Pests don't come alone.
By the past I have seen spidermites dying on a sane plant.
 
well thrips live most of their life in the soil, so if you are not treating the soil with something, in my experience nematodes or predator mites, you are only killing the adults.
 

Chemdawggy Dawg

Active member
What you need is a Spinosad product called monterey garden spray. Use 1.5 oz per gallon. It works every time. I am still using the same bottle from several years ago and I saw some damage on my current run. I sprayed them and it worked again.
 
A lot of good advice in this thread. Most people are still not getting the indestructible part tho.
I am on my 4rth round of spinosad sprayed heavy and thoroughly with an atomizer. I've dealt with almost all the worst bugs known to growers over the last 26 years of growing marijuana.
From The Borg to Russet Mites, Broad Mites, multiple versions of indestructible Root Aphids that bankrupted me for a year, White Fly infestations, and probably several more bugs ive long forgotten.
These Thrips are not your average strain of thrips. Im guessing like previous strains of bugs I've battled, because im based in Socal right now that im dealing with a strain that is resistant to Spinosad from Cali growers over spraying and creating this evolution of super Thrips. Who named the Borg the Borg? My first 10 years of dealing with Spider Mites was a joke before the Borg. Id catch a bad case of mites and one half ass spraying of Avid and i wouldn't see another Mite for a year or 2. Then came the Cali created Borg. They were drinking Avid like Champagne. These bugs evolve quick. And these Thrips are for sure bathing heavily in Spinosad for a week straight and its not just a new life cycle coming through because im finding a ton of mature adults within 12 hours of being drenched with Spinosad and still not phased by it.
Im guessing these Thrips are on that line of evolution.
Once again, today i'm spraying my fourth spraying of Spinosad. Ive rotated Avid and Floramite in between every Spinosad spraying for a total of 3 Avid sprayings, 2 Floramite, and today my 4rth Spinosad spraying. And 3 days ago i coated the floor and coco with D.E.
The Thrips still seem about the same today as when i started this mission 2 weeks ago.
As the Skunkest said above correctly, this round of plants were definitely stressed far more than my plants are used too. Im sure this plays a strong roll in these Thrips keeping a strong hold in my garden. The plants are far healthier today than they were 2 weeks ago. They also were having a good amount of PM on them but that is over now. Plants are much healthier and less stressed today.

Although i can't imagine the 10 sprayings in the last 2 weeks has not been pretty stressful on the ladies.

I am using Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew for my Spinosad spraying instead of Monterey Garden Spray.
Both brands label is claiming .5% Spinosad.

Is anybody experienced in both these brands? Im guessing they are close to identical. But hopefully my Thrips aren't surviving because im using a cheaper Spinosad product. I can't imagine thats the case, but anythings possible
 

slownickel

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
A lot of good advice in this thread. Most people are still not getting the indestructible part tho.
I am on my 4rth round of spinosad sprayed heavy and thoroughly with an atomizer. I've dealt with almost all the worst bugs known to growers over the last 26 years of growing marijuana.
From The Borg to Russet Mites, Broad Mites, multiple versions of indestructible Root Aphids that bankrupted me for a year, White Fly infestations, and probably several more bugs ive long forgotten.
These Thrips are not your average strain of thrips. Im guessing like previous strains of bugs I've battled, because im based in Socal right now that im dealing with a strain that is resistant to Spinosad from Cali growers over spraying and creating this evolution of super Thrips. Who named the Borg the Borg? My first 10 years of dealing with Spider Mites was a joke before the Borg. Id catch a bad case of mites and one half ass spraying of Avid and i wouldn't see another Mite for a year or 2. Then came the Cali created Borg. They were drinking Avid like Champagne. These bugs evolve quick. And these Thrips are for sure bathing heavily in Spinosad for a week straight and its not just a new life cycle coming through because im finding a ton of mature adults within 12 hours of being drenched with Spinosad and still not phased by it.
Im guessing these Thrips are on that line of evolution.
Once again, today i'm spraying my fourth spraying of Spinosad. Ive rotated Avid and Floramite in between every Spinosad spraying for a total of 3 Avid sprayings, 2 Floramite, and today my 4rth Spinosad spraying. And 3 days ago i coated the floor and coco with D.E.
The Thrips still seem about the same today as when i started this mission 2 weeks ago.
As the Skunkest said above correctly, this round of plants were definitely stressed far more than my plants are used too. Im sure this plays a strong roll in these Thrips keeping a strong hold in my garden. The plants are far healthier today than they were 2 weeks ago. They also were having a good amount of PM on them but that is over now. Plants are much healthier and less stressed today.

Although i can't imagine the 10 sprayings in the last 2 weeks has not been pretty stressful on the ladies.

I am using Captain Jacks Dead Bug Brew for my Spinosad spraying instead of Monterey Garden Spray.
Both brands label is claiming .5% Spinosad.

Is anybody experienced in both these brands? Im guessing they are close to identical. But hopefully my Thrips aren't surviving because im using a cheaper Spinosad product. I can't imagine thats the case, but anythings possible

Those are bozo brands. Pretty woowoo. The organic spinosad is Entrust from Dow, spinosad A and D, you can get it on amazon.

From the sounds of it, your plant nutrition might be lacking a bit of balance. How are you feeding?

What is the quality of your water like?

Medium?
 
What you need is a Spinosad product called monterey garden spray. Use 1.5 oz per gallon. It works every time. I am still using the same bottle from several years ago and I saw some damage on my current run. I sprayed them and it worked again.

And your Thrips are definitely a different strain of Thrips than mine.
Im using 2oz per gallon compared to your 1.5oz.
Im using a $300 Atomizer to spray that absolutely gives complete coverage of top and bottom of leaves as well as stems and ground and coco.
Spinosad has NOT killed many if any of these Thrips. Not happy about this. And def not in position to cut my crop down and start over. Plants are still healthy and its not a bad infestation. Just not looking hopeful right now for a full irradiation.
Shit the last bug i had was the infamous Russet Mite. Now those are a fucking crop killer. I had them in a large commercial warehouse and was told i most likely wouldn't be able to get rid of them. After a month of hell, research and 20 nasty products i fully irradicated them.

These Thrips need something besides just Spinosad im thinking.
 
Those are bozo brands. Pretty woowoo. The organic spinosad is Entrust from Dow, spinosad A and D, you can get it on amazon.

From the sounds of it, your plant nutrition might be lacking a bit of balance. How are you feeding?

What is the quality of your water like?

Medium?

Gotcha. So you're saying Monterey and Captain Jacks are both subpar?
I'll grab some Entrust.

My nutrition is def not off. Im in Coco for the 12th year and using my version Heavy 16. Plants are always top level.
PM got them pretty stressed a few weeks ago but thats over now.
I'm using RO water as always.
 

slownickel

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Gotcha. So you're saying Monterey and Captain Jacks are both subpar?
I'll grab some Entrust.

My nutrition is def not off. Im in Coco for the 12th year and using my version Heavy 16. Plants are always top level.
PM got them pretty stressed a few weeks ago but thats over now.

If you are getting PM your Ca and metals are off.

Entrust is 22% Spinosad I believe.

When you use too much N, thrips and PM go crazy. The form of N has a lot to do with it. Lack of Mo makes the issue worse.

You can put DE into suspension and spray it. Works pretty well.

What are your N sources?
 
Those are bozo brands. Pretty woowoo. The organic spinosad is Entrust from Dow, spinosad A and D, you can get it on amazon.

From the sounds of it, your plant nutrition might be lacking a bit of balance. How are you feeding?

What is the quality of your water like?

Medium?

Damn i just went to order some Entrust. $400
That is some pricey shit.
I see that it does have Spinosad A and D at 22% compared to .5%
i'm gonna have to pony up and drop the $400
 
If you are getting PM your Ca and metals are off.

Entrust is 22% Spinosad I believe.

When you use too much N, thrips and PM go crazy. The form of N has a lot to do with it. Lack of Mo makes the issue worse.

You can put DE into suspension and spray it. Works pretty well.

What are your N sources?

N coming from Heavy 16 grow A&B at a modest dose. Plants are in veg and im around 550 ppms.
 

slownickel

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Wow. Never seen so many forms of nitrate. Kinda what I thought. This is why you can only ramp up so high before shit hits the fan.

A lot of growers feed at much higher EC 1.6 upto 2.4 and have no issues mainly due to using amino acids instead of all that nitrate.

There is very little Ca in that formula. Take upclose pics of the label. The MSDS is mis-leading, they don't list micro nutrients. Maybe the label does?

I see they aren't registered in the washington state fertilizer data base either....
 
Wow. Never seen so many forms of nitrate. Kinda what I thought. This is why you can only ramp up so high before shit hits the fan.

A lot of growers feed at much higher EC 1.6 upto 2.4 and have no issues mainly due to using amino acids instead of all that nitrate.

There is very little Ca in that formula. Take upclose pics of the label. The MSDS is mis-leading, they don't list micro nutrients. Maybe the label does?

I see they aren't registered in the washington state fertilizer data base either....

I supplement with Calmag once every week or 2. But usually not needed.
You have never seen so many forms of nitrate as in Heavy 16 base line?
 

redlaser

Active member
Veteran
Floramite is a miticide, probably not going to do anything to thrips, plus it’s supposed to be used only on ornamentals
 

slownickel

Active member
ICMag Donor
Veteran
I supplement with Calmag once every week or 2. But usually not needed.
You have never seen so many forms of nitrate as in Heavy 16 base line?

Calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and magnesium nitrate! Bet folks love that color! If you use a 3 Ca 1 Mg calmag you are playing russian roulette with 4 bullets in the chamber. It will go off (build up) quick.
 
Calcium nitrate, potassium nitrate and magnesium nitrate! Bet folks love that color! If you use a 3 Ca 1 Mg calmag you are playing russian roulette with 4 bullets in the chamber. It will go off (build up) quick.

Im not having that problem brother. Haven't had too many nutrient build up or lock out problems in the last decade. I've been using my version of Heavy 16 with a few additives for i think around 7-8 years now. My plants def speak for themselves.
I'll catch a bug problem or PM problem whenever i out source for clones which i always regret once every couple years. Other than that im not seeing signs of the Russian Rullette you are speaking of.
Just a Thrip issue from some infected cuts i picked up without the proper precautions.
 
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