Thrips

Caused by: Various spp.
Problem Category: Insect
Symptoms: If population is high leaves and may be distorted and curl upwards; edges of leaves may dry up and are speckled with black feces; Insect are small (1.5 mm) and slender and best viewed using a hand lens; adult thrips are pale yellow to light brown and the nymphs are smaller and lighter in color.
Comments: May be found on corn at any time during the growing season.
Management: Avoid planting next to onions, garlic where very large numbers of thrips can build up; use reflective mulches early in growing season to deter thrips. young plants will recover from damage and treatment is not often necessary as the thrips are beneficial for controlling mites.
Control: spray neemasthram or 5% Neem seed kernal extract to control the sucking pests damage