Citrus Thrips Control

Citrus thrips damage only the rind of the fruit. Home growers may ignore mild infestations of Scirtothrips citri but commercial growers will want to control the insects as marred skin renders the fruit unsaleable.

Scirtothrips citri adults are yellow-orange winged insects with translucent bodies. They lay their eggs on newly formed citrus fruits near the stem. Other than this, the adults do no damage. It is the feeding of the thrip larvae which causes citrus fruit scarring. Scirtothrips citri larvae may be clear, white or amber in color.

The immature thrips insects hide beneath the star-shaped calyx and feed near it. This feeding forms a tan colored ring-shaped scar to form around the stem end of the fruit. The scar expands as the fruit grows.

The scarring may be almost invisible or quite noticeable on the ripe fruit depending on how heavily infested the tree is.

Thrip damage to citrus fruit is purely cosmetic. The fruit is perfectly safe to eat and will taste just the same as it would if the insects had not been present in the grove.

The leaves may also be damaged by the pests but this rarely affects the tree's growth or bearing habits.

The fruit at the outside of the tree's canopy will suffer most of the damage. A light infestation may leave fruit in the interior of the tree unharmed.

Smooth skinned citrus like the Navel orange are more likely to be attacked than rough skinned varieties like the Valencia.

Other plants affected by citrus thrips include: blueberries and Sumac.

The cosmetic damage to the fruit is a big problem for commercial citrus growers as it can cause the harvested fruit to be downgraded from Fancy to Juice grade at the packinghouse.

Infestations are most common in the Southwestern United States where citrus thrip eggs overwinter on the leaves and stems of citrus and pepper trees.

The nymphs hatch in the spring and begin to feed. New leaves will be misshapen and the tell-tale rings will be visible on the fruit when it reaches 1.5 inches in diameter.

Citrus Thrip Control

Thrips Predator Mites: Amblyseius cucumeris, Pack of 10,000: NC

If your citrus trees become infested every year and you wish to avoid thrip damage to this year's crop, do not wait until you can see evidence of the insect's presence.

Treat the trees as soon as 3/4 of the blossoms fall.

Predatory mites are a natural control for citrus thrips. You can purchase and introduce these beneficial insects into your grove or garden. They will persist unless the use of toxic pesticides kills them off.

The active ingredient in Conserve is spinosad, a natural bacteria which has been approved for use on organic food crops.

Spinosad has demonstrated effectiveness against S. citri in Arizona. It can be applied during hot or cool weather and will not harm beneficial insects.

Here's a spray formulated for the home gardener:

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