As I was inspecting my potted meyer today, I noticed these very mysterious crystal-like eggs attached to the underside of one leaf. See attached picture! It was only on one leaf. After I took the picture, I promptly wiped it off with a wet Q-tip, and after it was smeared, they looked kind of brown...almost like scale??? The Q-tip picture is also attached. Any idea what this could be???
mealy bugs will turn brown when they are wiped with a q-tip dipped in rubbing alcohol. i don't know if they react the same to plain water. they usually like to stay where the leaf meets the stem/trunk, tho. i don't know about them laying eggs on the undersides of leaves - and i don't think their eggs would be that large. so i don't think that's what the eggs are. regardless, i'd do a very good check of that plant as well as any others that are kept nearby...remove any more eggs you find and any bugs you come across, too. for safe measure, i'd treat anything that you do find with a bit of the alcohol wiped on with a q-tip. the alcohol will kill whatever and won't harm the plant (it'll dry up within a few minutes).
Your picture is quite difficult to see clearly, therefore I cannot say for sure, but my first impression would be white fly. Anyway, you could just crush them with you finger, if you don't want to go to all the work of getting a Q-tip. - Millet
Hello, I also have these eggs or crystals on my lemon tree and orange tree.I dont know what they are either,but Im a little worried as each day seem to be more.I was told that its a natural defence system of the tree.Dont know if this is true,I have been looking on the net for days now to find any info about this ,and guess what ,nothing.only you seem to have the same problem as me.some one must be able to help us on this one.Lara40
i have never seen a natural defence of producing crystals on a tree! , spray it with something nasty and make it go away before it kills the tree, i use many pesticides but there only good if you know what it is, wipe them off if you can, an then to be sure , use a dilute oil , preferably diluted neem oil and it is a natural pesticide that works on most pests, stops them breeding and eating, then they just starve and die
Hi Starloc. I just took a Q-tip and alcohol.cleaned the leaves.this stuff is like glue,it has covered most of the leaves.hope that keeps it at bay until I get a good nasty spray.now go do the orange tree.thank you for help. The other thing is ....some of the leaves are curling ,do you think that is due to this sticky ,crystal stuff........