Thrips are tiny, slender insects, about the size of a printed hyphen, that scrape leaf surfaces and suck out the contents. The damage shows as silvery or bronze streaks and stippling, with tiny black specks of waste, and new leaves that come in twisted or scarred. To get rid of them, isolate the plant, rinse the leaves thoroughly, spray every surface with insecticidal soap every 5 to 7 days for at least three weeks, and hang blue sticky traps to catch the adults. Repeating treatments is the key, because eggs inside leaves and pupae in the soil are protected from sprays.
How to identify thrips
- Leaf damage: pale, silvery, or papery patches and streaks, often along the veins.
- Black specks: small dots of waste on the damaged areas.
- Distorted growth: new leaves and flower buds look twisted, scarred, or fail to open.
- The insects: shake a leaf over white paper and look with a magnifier. Adults are thin, about 1/16 inch long, tan to black, and some have fringed wings. Larvae are pale yellow and wingless.
Thrips damage looks a little like spider mite stippling, but spider mites leave fine webbing and are round, not slender. Thrips often ride in on new plants or cut flowers, and they can jump to nearby plants quickly.
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Find My Plants →How thrips spread and why they come back
The thrips life cycle runs about two to three weeks at room temperature. Females insert eggs into leaf tissue, where sprays cannot reach them. Larvae feed on leaves, then many drop into the top layer of potting mix to pupate before emerging as adults. A single spray kills the active insects on the leaves but misses eggs and pupae, so the population rebounds a week later. A treatment plan has to cover several generations.
How to get rid of thrips
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Blue sticky traps to catch and monitor flying adults, a ready to use insecticidal soap for repeat sprays, and a pocket magnifier to spot tiny larvae on leaves. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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- Isolate. Move the affected plant away from others, and inspect neighboring plants with a magnifier.
- Prune. Cut off the most damaged leaves and any flowers, and bag them.
- Rinse. Spray the plant in a shower or sink, including leaf undersides, to knock off adults and larvae.
- Spray soap. Apply a ready to use insecticidal soap to every leaf surface and stem until wet. Repeat every 5 to 7 days for at least three weeks, longer if you still see new damage.
- Treat the soil surface. Scrape off and discard the top half inch of potting mix and replace it with fresh mix to remove some pupae.
- Trap. Hang blue sticky traps just above the plants. Thrips are drawn to blue more than to yellow, and the traps show you whether numbers are falling.
Test insecticidal soap on a few leaves first and wait a day, since some plants with hairy or delicate leaves are sensitive. Do not spray in direct sun or on a plant that is badly wilted. For stubborn infestations, products containing spinosad and labeled for indoor plants are another option; follow the label exactly.
Preventing thrips
Inspect every new plant before bringing it home, and keep new plants apart for two to three weeks. Check under leaves when you water. Keep cut flowers away from houseplants, since bouquets often carry thrips. Leave a blue sticky trap near your plant collection as an early warning.
Safety notes
Read and follow the label on any spray, and use products only on plants listed on the label. Keep sprays and sticky traps out of reach of children and pets, since traps can catch fur and small paws. Wash your hands after handling treated plants. If a child swallows or splashes any garden chemical, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If a pet eats it, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
Bottom line
Confirm thrips with a magnifier, isolate the plant, rinse, and spray insecticidal soap every 5 to 7 days for three weeks or more. Blue sticky traps catch adults and tell you when the problem is under control.
Related reading
- Spider mites on houseplants in dry heat
- Mealybugs and scale on houseplants: treatment
- Aphids on houseplants: how to get rid of them indoors
- Fungus gnats on houseplants: how to control them
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