1. Insect
  2. Small Fruit Crops
  3. Blackberry and Raspberry Pests

Blackberry and Raspberry-Thrips

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Frankliniella spp.

Pest description and crop damage Adult thrips are small (about 1-2 mm long at maturity), slender insects with fringed wings. They are generally white when young but brown or black when mature. Larvae are very tiny and difficult to distinguish without magnification. They feed by puncturing plant material, often blossoms, and sucking out the cell contents. Injured blossoms often turn into distorted fruit. When feeding on flowers, affected petals appear stippled or are scarred with brown streaks or spots. When unusually abundant in spring, thrips have been reported to cause blossom blasting. Fruit may be misshapen or distorted. Controls are most effective when applied at flowering; field control is not practical in eliminating thrips present at harvest.

Management-chemical control: HOME USE

  • azadirachtin/ neem oil-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • bifenthrin
  • carbaryl
  • horticultural oils
  • imidacloprid
  • insecticidal soap-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • kaolin-When applied as a spray to leaves, stems, and fruit, it acts as a repellent to some insect pests. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • malathion
  • permethrin-For use on raspberry only.
  • plant essential oils (cinnamon, clove, garlic, peppermint, rosemary, thyme) and plant oils (canola, corn, cottonseed, garlic)-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use
  • pyrethrins-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • spinosad-Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • sulfur
  • zeta-cypermethrin

Management-chemical control: COMMERCIAL USE

  • acetamiprid (Assail and others) at 0.085 to 0.1 lb ai/A. PHI 1 day. Do not exceed 0.5 lb ai/A per season. Toxic to bees.
  • azadirachtin (Ecozin Plus and other brands)-Consult label for rate. PHI 0 days. Achieves only about 25% control of SWD. Some formulations are OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • Beauveria bassiana (BioCeres and others) - Consult label for rates. PHI 0 days. Harmful to bees.
  • Burkholderia spp. (Venerate)-Consult label for rate. PHI 0 days. OMRI-listed for organic use. Harmful to bees.
  • Chromobacterium subtsugae (Grandevo CG, Grandevo WDG) at 0.3 to 0.9 lb ai/A. PHI 0 days. OMRI-listed for organic use. Hazardous to bees: Do not apply during bloom.
  • cyclaniliprole (Verdepryn 100SL) at 0.54 to 0.072 lb ai/A. Suppression only. PHI 1 day. Do not exceed 0.22 lb ai/A per year. Toxic to bees.
  • diazinon (several brands) at 1 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. Use prebloom to prevent bee kill. One application per season allowed; as such, consider other pests that may need to be managed with diazinon. Restricted use pesticide.
  • imidacloprid (Admire Pro and others) at 0.25 to 0.5 lb ai/A. PHI 7 days. Soil applied. Note "Bee Advisory Box" and restrictions on the label.
  • imidacloprid (Admire Pro and others) at 0.10 lb ai/A. PHI 3 days. Foliar applied. Do not apply during bloom or when bees are actively foraging. Note "Bee Advisory Box" and restrictions on the label.
  • Isaria fumosorosea Apopka Strain 97 (Ancora and others)-Consult label for rate and use directions. OMRI-listed for organic use.
  • malathion (several products)-Check label for rate. PHI 1 day. Do not exceed 3 applications per year. Highly toxic to bees.
  • neem oil (Debug On and others)-Consult label for rate. PHI 0 days.
  • pyrethrins (PyGanic)-Consult label for rates. PHI 0 days. OMRI-listed for organic use. Highly toxic to bees.
  • spinetoram (Delegate WG) at 0.05 to 0.09 lb ai/A. PHI 1 day. Toxic to bees for three hours following treatment. Do not apply when bees are foraging. Suppression only.
  • sulfoxaflor (Transform WG) at 0.086 lb ai/Ac. Suppression only. PHI 1 day. Toxic to bees for three hours following treatment. Do not apply when bees are foraging.