FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

So recently I've noticed that my trumpet pitchers have been producing highly deformed traps. I've also noticed that there are very tiny little white bugs crawling around on the foliage. However, my flytraps and purps, which are right next to the trumpet pitchers, have not been affected. I suspect thrips, but I'm not entirely sure what they are. They aren't aphids though. So my question is, how would I treat my poor babies and get them growing good again? I've thought about unpotting them and giving them a good wash, but being so close to dormancy, I kinda don't want to disturb them. It really saddens me to see them like this . (also, this is my first time dealing with pests)

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I personally haven't dealt with thrips but avid miticide or acephate 75 (also known as orthene) usually kills most pests and is completely safe for plants. Just make sure to use it sparingly as you can kill other insects that are beneficial such as bees.

That looks very much like thrip damage. Spinosad did the trick for me.

I had thrips on my VFT and neem oil got rid of them after many applications. However, I recently saw a leftover thrip on the VFT. I sprayed it with neem oil once again and will switch to more toxic chemicals if I ever see another thrip.

xanthoparmelia wrote:That looks very much like thrip damage. Spinosad did the trick for me.

Also, will trips end up killing my plants? I've recently had a sarracenia die, but I'm not sure if it was because of the thrips.

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When I initially had thrips, i naively left my plants untreated for more than a month, thinking it was some other ailment that would pass. I never lost a plant, but had nothing but deformed pitchers until I finally diagnosed and addressed it.

I don't know if heavy infestations themselves are capable of killing a plant, but i suspect they could negatively impact a plants ability to obtain nutrients via pitchers.

I also tried neem and imidacloprid, but couldn't completely eradicate them until i used spinosad.

xanthoparmelia wrote:When I initially had thrips, i naively left my plants untreated for more than a month, thinking it was some other ailment that would pass. I never lost a plant, but had nothing but deformed pitchers until I finally diagnosed and addressed it.

I don't know if heavy infestations themselves are capable of killing a plant, but i suspect they could negatively impact a plants ability to obtain nutrients via pitchers.

I also tried neem and imidacloprid, but couldn't completely eradicate them until i used spinosad.

Ok, cool. The plant I had was already in decline for a few months, but I'm not sure why. I did, however get a set of seeds from it a few weeks ago, so at least I can carry on its sapline and tell his/her children stories about their mother/father, lol. But I'll definitely have to try the spinosad. Can I find it in stores, or do I have to get it online?

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LOL. Hopefully you didn't lose a rare/valuable plant.

I'm pretty sure both Lowes or HD have products that contain spinosad. Otherwise, I know you can get it from either Amazon or eBay.

xanthoparmelia wrote:LOL. Hopefully you didn't lose a rare/valuable plant.

I'm pretty sure both Lowes or HD have products that contain spinosad. Otherwise, I know you can get it from either Amazon or eBay.

It was a sarracenia alata dark. It honestly never really grew well for me, but I was still exited to see the potential. I'll have to check those places then. Thanks!

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