Per this from Texas A&M, no, lady bugs don't control Chilli Thrips. https://extensionentomology.tamu.edu/insect/chilli-thrips/ Be careful Googling for information about Chilli Thrips. Unfortunately, it confuses Chilli Thrips with Western Flower Thrips and provides all manner of incorrect information. The TAMU link does provide some beneficial information and suggestions.

As long as the red growth looks characteristic for the variety, don't worry about it. It's the witch's broom growth combined with the red pigments that should make your heart sink. I don't envy you either. Good luck!

I have the MO on RRD it is the Chilli’s I am still learning about. Not much on RRD that I have not read since I stem

from Dallas , the epi center. Appreciate any info on the darn thrips.

the chillis will come on in the hot weather. Having host plants around that they overwinter on can be a problem. What I do is to spray the horticultural oil early on then wait for signs of the distorted growth. I usually get about two flushes before they attack. If you want to use sprays I think spinosad is the one commonly used. That wont harm earthworms or bees like the systemics. Most times I stop cutting the roses and let the hips mature. The chillis like new growth. Any cutting that starts the rose growing the chillis will attack. I leave it alone and when the weather cools off then I cut it off and spray again with the oil. If you want flowers during chilli season, youre pretty much forced to spray.

This is an old post but hoping someone with knowledge will catch it. I am now in Houston, which I understand has a huge problem with chili thrips. I moved several pots of roses down, and they all have signs of chili thrips. I was wondering since they are in pots could I put this stuff in the soil that kills various bugs that attack our plants…you know that stuff we put around the crêpe myrtles - can’t remember what it’s called. It prevent protects the plants for at least six months. I would look for the name, but the product is in the garage in boxes I’ve yet to unpack. I bought some when in Dallas for white flies, but didn’t use it because I didn’t want to kill earth earth worms in soil,
I was afraid it would harm them. It never occurred to me that it might harm bees or ladybugs-
any information will be appreciated. I don’t think it ever cools here in Houston. My previous experience was limited coolness and certainly not enough to kill any bugs unless it is an odd year.

I’m outside of San Antonio, Tx . I had chili thrips damage last year but didn’t realize it and thought the browning and small leaves were related to the summer heat. I didn’t treat last year. when it cooled down, I trimmed off the growth and the new growth and blooms at the end of Nov and Dec were beautiful.

This summer I had really funky growth and found out that what I was seeing all over my plants was from chili thrips. I cut off all the affected growth, and then sprayed with Captain Jacks Deadbug Brew late Aug or early Sept.

I had a healthy flush from most of my roses around the first week of Oct.

It took care of the chili thrips but some of the plants developed almost a chemical burn from the spinosad on the leaves. I don’t know if it was spraying it when it was so hot? I sprayed near sunset but I’m assuming the residual the next day may have caused problems. I’m not sure if i will use spinosad again as the whole point was not to have damage and I started with chili thrip damage and ended with a chemical looking burn.

Echo, I sprayed Captain Jack's Dead Bug brew too and had damage to many of the rose plants I sprayed. I looked it up and found some others had had that problem. But I think many spray spinosad without harm. I wonder if a more diluted spray would make a difference.

That experience convinced me that I should test any new product I want to use on my roses on a small amount of plants and wait to see what happens.