Author Topic: Being bugged a bit too much  (Read 1640 times)

Mike T

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Being bugged a bit too much
« on: June 04, 2018, 04:15:22 AM »
Growing citrus in my area is quite a challenge with lots of insect pests let alone avian ones like cockatoos.Numerous fruit piercing moth species attack my mandarins and oranges before they ripen. The foliage of trees is consumed by several species of large phasmids, whopping Valanga irregularis grasshoppers and even emperor moths. The following black and white (with bits of red and blue) swallowtail butterflies have their caterpillars on citrus in my district.

Dainty swallowtail, Papilio anactus (WS Macleay, 1826)
Orchard swallowtail, Papilio aegeus (Donovan, 1805)
Ambrax swallowtail, Papilio ambrax (Boisduval, 1832)
Fuscus swallowtail, Papilio fuscus (Goeze, 1779)
Chequered swallowtail, Papilio demoleus (Linnaeus, 1758)

The smaller aphids,and sucking bugs also give me grief at times but fruit flies and leaf miners are leaving the fruit and trees alone. Pinks disease is a constant fungal issue but we are talking insects now. Maybe may area and location are prone to insects pests and I do like butterflies. Are other people finding their citrus trees and fruit on the menu of insects a little too much? 

Mike T

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Re: Being bugged a bit too much
« Reply #1 on: June 05, 2018, 09:27:02 AM »


Here is a pic of one of the marauders and it looks innocent enough.

Jct

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Re: Being bugged a bit too much
« Reply #2 on: June 05, 2018, 11:04:00 AM »
If I saw that thing in my backyard I'd be running the other way!
LaVerne Manila Mango; Pixie Crunch, Honeycrisp & Gala Apple Trees; Violette De Bordeaux & Black Mission Fig; Santa Rosa Plum & Snow Queen Nectarine; Nagami Kumquat, Pixie Tangerine, Lemon, Australian Finger Lime & Washington Navel Citrus; White & Red Dragon Fruit; Miracle Berry Plant

Yorgos

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Re: Being bugged a bit too much
« Reply #3 on: June 06, 2018, 04:11:30 PM »
It's a walking stick! What a specimen.  I'd leave it alone.  You have quite the citrus loving swallowtails down there.  Over here we only have Papilio cresphontes, the giant swallowtail.  I wish I had more.  They are one reason I am reluctant to spray for other things due to collateral damage to the larvae of these beautiful insects.  The damage they cause is minuscule so I let them be if at all possible.

My main issues are rust mites, CLM, aphids, scale and, of course, psyllids.
Near NRG Stadium, Houston Texas. USDA zone 9a

Mike T

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Re: Being bugged a bit too much
« Reply #4 on: June 08, 2018, 08:38:53 PM »
Until a cool spell last week I was getting Macleays Spectres of all different colours dining on my guavas and jaboticabas and there are other very long species as well in summer.