Botanic Garden >> Gardening > >> Question and Answer >> Pests

Lilac Bites: Minute Pirate Bugs or Thrips

Bites near lilacs in Wyoming = minute pirate bugs (predatory) or thrips (plant feeders). Both bite harmlessly. Peak in early summer; decline with heat.

Management

No control needed—they're beneficial (pirate bugs eat pests).
Wear long sleeves near lilacs in June.
DEET repellent helps.
Populations crash naturally by July.

Lilacs aren't harmed; bugs are helping.

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