Controlling Thrips, what to expect spraying Spinosad (I still see the flies)

[JakeFruit]

All my citrus showed the beginning signs of a flush and I noticed the little buggers on it. Took me a few days, but I mixed up a bottle of Monterey Garden Insect Spray (with Spinosad) and doused them two days ago. Just examined them this morning and I still noticed a few of them still perched on the new growth. It's my first time trying to control for these, so I'm wondering:

• Should the spray have killed the bugs or warded them off? Or, is it like CLM, it's the larvae it kills?
• If I'm still seeing the flies, should I spray again (since I still see them)?
• Will the new growth be curled and stunted, even though I caught them at an early stage? It's looking a little off, but the growth is ~1/4" long, under a week into pushing.

[Millet]

I have never heard of the spray that you used.  For thrips I use Horticultural oil sprays.  Kills thrips, mealy bugs, aphids, scale, and , mites.

[JakeFruit]

The spray was very effective against CLM last year, as long as I remembered to use it when I saw a flush starting. Here's the product link:
https://www.montereylawngarden.com/product/monterey-garden-insect-spray/


I do notice now that mealybugs are not listed as a species it works against, and I've been having a heck of a time this year battling them and the ants cultivating them.

What horticultural oil is your preferred brand Millet?

[Millet]

I use Ultra Pure horticultural oil.  It is the best of the many Horticultural Oils on the market. it comes in a 2.5 gallon container.. However there are many other  brands of HO on the market.

[JakeFruit]

Thanks, that quantity is too large for my little citrus venture currently, but it's good to know what you'd recommend.

[sea4]

The spinosad product I have says you can only spray citrus a few times per year; most other crops can be sprayed more frequently. I have no idea why.
The ultra pure HO I have is a 16oz bottle, bought several years ago, tho.
Can you actually see thrips? I thought they were too small; I just look for the distinctive damage pattern

[JakeFruit]

Indeed, the product says only "8" uses per year. I imagine that's to limit the potential harm done to pollinators. I only spray when I see a flush coming on and, if there happen to also be flowers present, I only spray at dusk (when pollinators have gone home).


Awww damn, I took a look at pics of thrips and realized I'm not seeing thrips, they are Asian citrus psyllids
Man, why did I buy that one Key Lime from Home Depot earlier this year!?! Not only did it introduce mealybugs, now I'm risking HLB. All my citrus is still pretty tiny and in containers, hopefully I can wipe them out and maybe they weren't carrying HLB....