The best thing to control chili thrips is something with spinosad in it..... such as Conserve. If you spray it late evening or very early morning so it can dry it won't hurt the bees. It kills only on contact and only when wet. According to the University of Florida they have "banker plants" that will host the Swirski-Mite which is a predatory mite and it will eat the chili thrip. We had a guest speaker at our rose society last September and we were given the host plant of an oriental pepper plant to grow. When it starts to put out flowers the Swirski-Mite can be put on the plant because it will also eat the pollen. The Swirski has been very helpful to the Florida pepper farmers because the crops were being devastated by the chili thrips. The farmers were having to be spray every two weeks. However, after adding the Swirski-Mite they have to spray only once a season...... I have had my Swiriski's less than a month so I can not personally proclaim how well it works.... but have fingers crossed..... Once you start the banker plants (bankers plants MUST be FLOWERING) you will NOT want to spray because you will then kill your good mites. What I did before introducing my Swirski's I sprayed the Conserve very early on my roses that had problems to get a good handle on the chili thrips. Then I placed the "baggie" of the chili thrips on my oriental pepper plants and placed the plants in slightly shady location.... you do not want the baggie in the sun. Once I felt the CT's were starting to come out I moved the pepper plants to the rose garden and tucked it in close to a rose bush...... I personally chose Beverly because she is my most susceptible to CT's. I figured she would keep the CT's fat and satisfied..... and I would be rewarded with nice leaves..... Check out the below articles.
sharon2079