UW Extension offers new grass thrip management guide

These small insects, which feed only on grasses, damage both annual and perennial species. Grass thrips can survive in perennial grass fields year-round, enduring temperatures well below freezing.

“A perennial grass seed field will look perfect, and only after harvest will grass thrip damage be revealed,” said Scott Schell, UW Extension entomologist and co-author of the new publication, in a news release. “Only pest survey and insecticide treatment, if warranted, can prevent crop loss.”

Researchers have determined that grass thrips have an extremely high potential for developing insecticide resistance, which makes informed management even more critical.

To view the new grass thrip management guide, visit bit.ly/grass-thrips-wy. Contact Schell at sschell@uwyo.edu or 307-766-2508 with questions.