A local Ojai grower asks why there seems to be more citrus thrips damage to 'Pixie' mandarins this year. Was it because of the extended bloom due to warmer spring last year? The hotter summer up there that was more similar to climate in the Central Valley? Was it due to the Area-Wide Spraying for Asian Citrus Psyllid - ACP? Or is this a remnant of the Thomas Fire that dumped ash all over the county, disrupting biocontrol agents like lady bird beetles?
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26095
And what else does fire do to citrus?
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=28315
https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=26510
This is classic thrips damage. In this area, it is not usually a problem. This year it seems to be more common. It's not always clear what is the main cause of and what all the interactions are that lead up to an outbreak like this. Just that there is damage now that occurred 10 months ago.
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