They overwinter in the dead foliage around the plants.Remove it.I am going to spray incecticidal soap on the new growth as soon as it emerges in the spring too.They were bad for me this past year also.

Thrips larva live in the soil or decaying foliage. By mulching with a coarse mulch such as tree trimmings is has been shown that half of the thrips cannot get through the mulch.

Predatory wasps such as Orius insidiousis, will also help control thrips as will predatory nematodes that will eat the thrips larva while they are still in the soil.

The use of pestacides is not recommended as it will kill the beneficials that prey on thrips as well as the thrips themselves.

BTW I was pleased to see you use the word "thrips" as there is no such word as "thrip". It drives me nuts to read in a book "thrip damage" when it should be "thrips damage."

Gary you need to hear the funny story Kirchhoff tells of getting the predatory bugs for his garden in KY. They released them one day and had zero the next day. My husband gives him the well, duh, you are living in the middle of a hayfield and why should they stick around here when they have acres to feast on.

You can eliminate them if you use one of the Bayer product. Not only will it eliminate the thrips, it will also eliminate aphids or any other sucking insect. There is also a contact, meaning spray it on the buds, insecticide but I don't remember the name. You can find it at a big box store by reading the labels.

If you have good soil to begin with, one application will not destroy your soil. As with all products, follow label directions and remember more is not necessarily better.

Brooke