How to Control Thrips on Daylilies

Daylilies are pretty self-sufficient, but they do fall prey to a variety of pests and diseases that must be controlled to protect the blooms. One such problem is a thrip infestation. Thrips can be particularly difficult to get rid of because they hide within the petals and foliage of the daylilies. Getting rid of thrip infestations is important to the health and appearance of your daylilies.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You’ll Need

• Predator mites and/or pirate bugs
• Garden cultivator
• Garden hose
• Microbial-derived insect controllers (abamectin or spinosad)

1. Apply the abamectin or spinosad controllers to the daylily plants when buds start to appear, well before the dry season begins. Make sure that you are paying close attention to the overlapping areas of the foliage and bud areas where thrips like to hide.
2. Remove any weeds and overgrown plants that will draw in thrip colonies. It is important to make sure that you are regularly removing weed growth before the thrips have a chance to move from the weeds to your daylilies.
3. Spray your daylilies regularly with the garden hose to knock off thrips before they have a chance to settle into the hard-to-reach areas of the flowers.
4. Purchase and add beneficial insects, like the predator mites and pirate bugs. These bugs are the natural enemies to thrips and should help keep thrips under control.

Tips & Warnings

• Nature’s Control recommends spraying your plants with a soapy water before you add any predatory insects to help make the thrips more vulnerable.