Bean: Thrips

Biology

Thrips are tiny (≤1⁄20″), elongate, yellowish to dark insects. They typically feed in flower buds and blossoms. Thrips feeding can cause buds to fail to open. Blossom drop may also occur. Thrips can often be found by firmly tapping flowers into the palm of the hand and looking for the tiny yellowish insects. They are seldom a serious problem on beans.

Management Options

Use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for successful plant problem management.

Non-chemical Management

Select non-chemical management options as your first choice!

• Predacious thrips, green lacewing larvae, and minute pirate bugs are important predators of plant-feeding thrips. Avoid use of broad-spectrum insecticides which kill these and other beneficial insects.
• Control weeds, which can be important hosts for plant-feeding thrips.

Chemical Management

IMPORTANT: Visit Home and Garden Fact Sheets for more information on using pesticides.

• Apply when thrips are present.

Approved Pesticides

Listed below are examples of pesticides that are legal in Washington. Always read and follow all label directions.

• Bonide Captain Jack's Deadbug Brew R-T-U [Organic]
  Active ingredient: spinosad (spinosyn A+D) [EPA registration number: 4-472]
• Safer Brand BioNEEM Multi-Purpose Insecticide and Repellent Concentrate [Organic]
  Active ingredient: azadirachtin [EPA registration number: 70051-6-42697]
• Safer Brand Insect Killing Soap Concentrate II [Organic]
  Active ingredient: potassium salts of fatty acid [EPA registration number: 42697-60]
• This list may not include all products registered for this use.

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