Sorry Kit I have been dealing with them ever since we moved from S. CA to Arizona(11yrs) I had never herd of them before that. You will be in for a fight. Here are the stats as I have experience.

1) Thrips like any thing that has light or white flowers, privets and some new growth leaves

2) They blow with the wind and in swarms

3) They breed like aphids and breed and come from the soil.

4) They will distort or scar plums, roses, nectarines, etc.

5) Hard to kill and see(@ least you can see white fly)

6) Spring is when they swarm

It has taken me a few years to get them under control and I still have them.

Some times my peace rose blooms look all brown and distorted. I can actually pick a bloom, shake it and the things will fall out. The Satsuma plums and nectarines have brown lines on the skin but are still good to eat.

Keeping them under control..... stuff with systemic in it.

Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus and Veg Control concentrate. Its poured in the soil. I won't use it on veggies.

Ortho flower and rose control granules w/ systemic.

Hi-Yield Systemic (True Value Hardware)

I try and use the soil stuff so it won't harm the bees or other flying critters.

The only natural predators that I know of are wasp.

I hope I have helped. I don't like using pesticide's but these guys are one of the nastiest bugs I have ever run across. Give me white fly, aphids, gophers etc any time.

Camp Verde AZ ( formally Carlsbad CA)

Thank you, I want to be ready for them next year. There may be big changes but I want to keep as much as I can. ( first the drought, and now plague bugs...... ) Poor farmers!