18/05/2026
🚨🪲 Chilli Thrips Alert – WA Gardeners Take Note! 🪲🚨
You’ve no doubt heard about the damage Chilli Thrips are causing across metropolitan WA gardens. 🌿
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has received countless reports of plant damage — particularly to roses — due to recent rainfall and humidity, conditions these pests love.
👉 WAGS Members: You can find the full DPIRD article and Waldecks Garden Centre Bentley’s (no longer in business) excellent post in our Members Only section.
💐 No plant is safe!
Alongside roses, the following plants are known to be affected:
Acacia, Camellia, Dahlia, Blueberry, Chrysanthemum, Chilli/Capsicum, Syzygium (Lilly Pilly), Strawberry, Ficus, Tomato, Mango, Beans, Pittosporum, Viburnum, Grape, and many more.
Recently affected plants include:
Gerbera, Coreopsis, Duranta, Gaura, Verbena, Petunia, Basil, Geranium, Pentas, Viola, Zinnia, and others.
⚠️ Symptoms to watch for:
• Crinkled or upward-curling leaves
• Elongated leaf stalks (petioles)
• Brittle buds that drop prematurely
• Stunted growth and halted flowering or fruiting
🪴 Management Tips:
• Inspect plants regularly for early signs of infestation
• Prune damaged material and bag off-cuts before binning
• Do not compost affected plant matter
• Expect to apply multiple treatments for effective control
Stay alert and proactive — early action is the best defence against this destructive pest. 🌸
