There has been a lot of questions and concerns regarding chilli thrips over the last year. I thought this would be a good time to provide an update. The good news is that we have only been able to confirm one infestation in Texas. Last fall a homeowner in Houston submitted a sample from plants in her yard that were being damage. It turned out that the damage was caused by chilli thrips. The unusual damage caused by this thrips to the plant's foliage is the easiest methods to detect this pest (see photo).There are no indications that any greenhouse or nursery producers in Texas are infested. One of the most important ways of keeping your facility clean is to properly inspect all incoming plant material.
If there is any good news about this pest, it is that at this time there appears to be a number of insecticides that will kill it. Almost any insecticide that is label for thrips control will kill chilli thrips. Abamectin, chlorfenapyr, pyridalyl, spinosad and systemic insecticides (acephate, acetamiprid, clothianadin, dinotefuran, imidacloprid, thiamethoxam) applied as a foliar sprays have been shown to be effective in efficacy testing.
For more information on chilli thrips in Texas visit http://chillithrips.tamu.edu/.
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