Imidacloprid is highly toxic to earthworms, and would probably kill all of them in the treated zone. On the other hand, as soon as the chemical clears the area (a few weeks max), more would move in from the surrounding soil. Not sure about conserve. Of course the obvious "green" method for controlling chili thrips is to grow only resistant varieties. 'Mrs. B. R. Cant' is virtually thrips-proof. Bermuda's 'Smith's Parish' and 'Trinity' are quite acceptable in the presence of thrips. And 'Tausendschoen' is fine. Unfortunately, most of the other roses we generally consider resistant to other pests and diseases tend not to be resistant in this case.

I also wanted to go the organic, environmentally friendly route with my roses (72 and counting), but it's a difficult road to travel. Conserve SC is $150/qt at one prominent site, and I just can't see spending that kind of money. What I have noticed is that their Conserve SC is 11.6% spinosad, where others, such as Monterey and Green Light, are only .5% spinosad. However, the mixing ratio for Conserve SC appears to be .1 ounce(2.96ml) per gallon of water (from: (http://www.cdms.net/LDat/ld24P009.pdf), so it would appear that this "professional" Conserve SC is just a way to make quite a bit of money, IMHO. I haven't found either the Monterey or the Green Light brands locally to date, but I'm still looking. In the meantime, a tip in our local Houston Rose Society "Rosette" told of an Ant Killer called Surrender, which is 75% acephate, and sells locally for $12.95. As earlier stated, I'd love to go the organic route, but there's just too much work, sweat, and money tied up in my roses, so I'll be using the Orthene in the lowest % acephate per gallon to control thrips if the .5% spinosad doesn't work out. I actually saw some other products that contained the same .5% spinosad at a local feed store, and purchased a bottle of this product, which I'll try initially. Please correct me if I'm wrong on those mixing ratios.

Spinosad is not available here in Ontario and besides don't think I want to spray every day or so. Like Michaelg said flowers look ok from a distance only smaller. Yesterday at one of the garden centers they recommended WILSON ROSE DOCTOR Insecticide-Fungicide but I didn't buy it. Will just wait it out and see what happens with the next flush. Wilson Rose Doctor ® GUARANTEE: Malathion 4%, Carbaryl 5%, Folpet 5% controls the following insects and diseases on roses and other flowers and ornamentals. INSECTS: Aphids, Flea Beetles, Young Grasshoppers, Leafhoppers, Leafminer, Mites, Rose Chafer, Tarnished Plant Bug, Thrips, Caterpillars, Leafroller, Loopers, Scale Insects (crawler stage only). DISEASES: Black Spot of Roses, Powdery Mildew, Anthracnose. DIRECTIONS: Apply a thin, uniform coating on both sides of the foliage when the insects or diseases appear. Dust when air is calm. Apply more lightly on young or tender foliage. Proper applications to protect plants from disease should be made throughout the growing season at 7  10 day intervals. Carbaryl is toxic to bees. Do not use where bees are foraging. TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION: Carbaryl is a moderate, reversible cholinesterase inhibitor. Atropine is antidotal. www.wilson.nu-gro.com BTW thrips attack dark colored roses too as my new "Prince" has only one bud and its chewed up too. Palatine Roses said thrips attack red colors too they are just not as noticeable. My "Heritage" that I grew in Florida was full of thrips. This one here is doing fine just had some rust early on. One rose "Peace" had caterpillars those tiny green ones maybe they are sawflies I just hand picked them for few days and donÂt see any now. For now I have seen thrips only on two rose bushes and hope it stays that way. Thank you to all for responding! Millie

I thought CIDP leaflets are more uniform in their arrangement, more flat like a Roebellini or a majesty. These leaflets are more spurratic like a queen palm arrangement. But when I first saw it at the nursery, a CIDP is the palm that came to mind. It seems to be growing more squat and a thick trunk for the size, although you can't tell now with the geraniums growing around the base.