Something is crawling on my key lime leaves, leaving tracks. It is apparently causing the leaves to cup & curl -- each has a "track" mark. I've picked off a few strange looking caterpillars, both large & small, but can't always find them. Also, a huge grasshopper looking insect is eating the leaves -- have pulled him off also when found, but he returns. This large critter also flies. How can I rid the tree of these pests? Thank you.
This document may be of help to you in identifying the pests. The first one you described sounds like citrus leaf miner.
I agree with Junglekeeper-- the first pest is probably Citrus Leaf Miner -- here is another website with info in CLM: http://ag.arizona.edu/crops/citrus/insects/leafminer.pdf#search="citrus leaf miner predator" The caterpillars are probably giant swallowtail butterfly larvae-- they look like bird poop. As for the grasshopper--Squish! -- Skeet-- PS -- I see you are here in P'cola-- I just released some of the predators of CLM-Ageniaspis citricola -- hopefully they will establish and reduce them to a tolerable level. They have been terrible on my trees this summer. Skeet
Thank you both for your help. While the leaves look similar to what is shown in one of the photos in the link -- the "worm" looks nothing like the photo. This guy -- the big one is about 2 inches long, brown, and difficult to spot. The babies are really tiny, and look like bird poop, so your description was correct. I've had this tree for 4 years, and it has produced fruit for the last 2 seasons. It's awesome, and it just breaks my heart to see this thing... Thanks again!
They sound like Orange dogs. If you don't kill them, they will devower your tree... http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=4315&start=1
Its the one butterfly thats good to kill. the leaf miner wont kill your tree but it sure makes it ugly. I had a minor infestation, but I brought my trees inside and all is ok... except for scale now, but I think I have it under control.
Really? Yep, the leafminer is attacking all new growth, and the leaves are dropping. I've tried insecticidal soap applied directly to the affected leaf groups, and that seems to work, IF I can get it in time.
The giant swallowtail lays individual egg on the new leaves-- they are about 1/16 in in diameter and usually orange in color. If you don't have many trees you can keep the eggs picked off pretty easily. There are several people I know in P'cola that grow citrus trees just for the butterflies-- let them raise the butterflies-- I want the fruit! The leaf miners are a more difficult problem to deal with. They are less than 1-2 mm in length -almost invisible to an untrained eye. Earlier in the year you can use oil sprays, but it will reduce your trees cold resistance if you use it now. Spinosad is a relatively non-toxic pesticide that you can use -- the stuff I have is by Fertilome for "bagworms and borers " -- Skeet
