CAPSID BUGS AND THRIPS

          These pests are very difficult to spot  but their presence is indicated by extensive damage and distortion of young growing tips.

Symptoms

Like greenfly and aphid damage the growing tips of plants are most affected. If flowers are scarce in early summer this is because the pests have eaten the new buds. Remaining leaves may be completely distorted when they appear or have holes in them. Leaf ends can be discoloured with black or brown speckles.

Treatment

This is not an easy condition to recognise in time to save the season's flowers.  Regular inspection and spraying is recommended. It may be possible to remove all terminal buds and let the plant start again when the thrip/capsid bug infestation begins to ease in late summer. A second crop of flowers is less likely to be affected.

Thrips are very small creatures unlikely to be noticed but the capsid bug is quite conspicuous although very quick to disappear. Pinch an affected branch some way below the tip and watch carefully.  A bright green beetle like a large aphid can often be seen scuttling down the stem to where you have cut off its retreat. Normally it would have disappeared quickly into the compost surface unnoticed. These are solitary creatures as a rule.

Once again this is a case where regular inspection and good hygiene pay off. It is probably most troublesome with plants outdoors.