I found native rove beetles great for getting thrips but I don't know if th=
ey eat monarch stages. I just captured some outside. Jumping spiders might =
also be locally captured and put to work?
Tim
--- In compost_tea_at_yahoogroups.com, Brian Leslie <damoclesone_at_...> wrote:
>
> Hi Tatia,
>
> You might consider introducing some companion plants that attract/sustain=
thrip predators. The trick is going to be finding a beneficial insect that=
won't eat your caterpillars (that means that planting a sunflower to attra=
ct damselbugs might be a bad idea, but planting dill to attract lacewings m=
ight work). There is a lot of free info on this on the interwebz. I see you=
're writing from the desert; you might need to order your beneficial insect=
s to populate your greenhouse. Alternatively, you can 'start' your companio=
n plants where they will pick up the predators, then bring them back to the=
greenhouse.
>
> As far as soil-based beneficial predators go, some nematodes will attack =
thrips. Unfortunately, they do not propagate very well at all in compost te=
a.
>
> http://www.ehow.com/how_7150085_grow-beneficial-nematodes.html
>
> Best of luck to your butterflies!
>
> Brian _at_ Baton Rouge, Louisiana
>
> On Jan 22, 2012, at 13:44, "Tatia Veltkamp" <tatiav_at_...> wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I don’t get to follow everything on these posts and am still ve=
ry much a newbie, but am learning a lot on here. I grow milkweed in 1 gall=
on and 4” pots to feed Monarch caterpillars. I have trouble (LOTS)=
with thrips. They also love the milkweed. I found in the summer there ar=
e plenty of predators that take care of the thrips if I move the plants out=
side. But I have to grow almost year round and find the thrips appearing a=
t about 6-8 weeks on the plants (I grow from seed) in the greenhouse. I c=
annot use chemicals so the plants are safe for the caterpillars, although I=
’ve tried some of them too and they don’t work. I’v=
e done some soaping and that helps (a little), but I’m wondering ab=
out using compost tea as a foliar feed if that would help. Since part of t=
he thrips’ life cycle is in the soil, I’m also wondering if=
I should be adding worm castings or compost to the top layer of the soil t=
o help with any microbes that might attack them there.
> >
> >
> >
> > I realize that I am not going to get rid of the thrips. But I’=
m trying to learn how to control them, so they don’t take over. Ha=
s anyone dealt with thrips successfully in a greenhouse?
> >
> >
> >
> > Thanks so much for any insight you might have!
> >
> >
> >
> > Tatia
> >
> > Albuquerque, NM
> >
> >
>
Received on Sun Jan 22 2012 - 21:04:49 EST