About this episode
Welcome to Hydroponics Daily, where we dive into the world of thrips, a major menace in the world of hydroponics. Both singular and plural, these pests are tricky to identify due to their transparent juvenile stage, which absorbs the color of their host plants. Thrips primarily attack the upper surfaces of leaves, leaving behind a distinctive silvery mottling pattern that's often mistaken for less devastating pests. Despite rigorous disinfection efforts, thrips can persist, threatening your crop. With thousands of species, like the western flower thrip and the onion thrip, they lay eggs in plant leaves, complicating the control process. Thrips undergo a rapid lifecycle, starting as eggs, advancing to wingless nymphs, pupating in the soil, and emerging as winged adults known as thunderflies, which fly inefficiently and thrive under specific weather conditions. Join us tomorrow as we explore methods to combat these destructive insects and protect your hydroponic ventures from their detrimental impact.