Author Topic: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon  (Read 1438 times)

gundarak

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Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« on: April 24, 2020, 04:18:51 PM »
Good afternoon all,

First time poster and happy to be here! I have a couple Ponderosa Lemon trees planted outside. They both have had a hard life as they started out in pots and stayed in pots for a year or so. I was in the middle of purchasing a home so I was waiting for property to plant them. They have been in the ground for about 3 months now and are acclimating well. I am dealing with leaf miners everyday while trying to promote leaf growth. Just a couple weeks ago these guys starting appearing on one of the tree's leaves. There's usually no more than one or two, and like to perch around sunset. I don't know what they are or if they are harmful, but the new leaf growth seems to be developing curly looking leaves. I dont see any sign of leaf miners, so it can't be them. Can anyone assist me with whats going on?

PS. I plan to troll everything on here. I am obsessed with my trees and want to do my best to grow them as best as I can!

Thanks!






Yorgos

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2020, 06:08:17 PM »
Definitely leaf minors.  Bottom pictures reflect that clear enough.  As to the insect on the first pic, it's not a robber fly and looks to be some sort of solitary wasp or possible a moth imitating a wasp. Need some more pics to be sure. Either way, it is doubtful that it is bothering your citrus.  If it is a solitary wasp it is likely helping your citrus as a predator of other insects.
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Bomand

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2020, 08:32:23 AM »
The easy way to know that it is leaf miner damage is: look in the leaves...leaf miners leave a wavy trail (tunnel) inside the leaf. The  feces left by the miner makes the trail stand out. Lots of different flying wasp/bees live by feasting on aphids and other pest on citrus. He is not bothering your tree. The best leaf miner protection you can get is Bayer Systemic for citrus. Nothing will stop 100% of miners. BAYER can be found at all big box stores. Welcome to the forum.

gundarak

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2020, 12:39:15 PM »
Yorgos, Bomand,

Thank you for the warm welcome and advice! I am very familiar with leaf miners and my comment was made because i saw the deformed leaves but no line paths inside them. I will search for Bayer but i know as the tree becomes older it will provide its own defense alongside what I can do.

I was more concerned about that wasp. Someone locally mentioned to me it could be a borer and I freaked a little. I found these other guys too. One looks like a wasp and the other i have no idea. Both are very tiny and zoomed in almost all the way on my phone. Are these guys dangerous?

Sorry, I feel like a first time parent! Lol




Millet

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2020, 01:37:25 PM »
Deformed citrus lives can definitely be caused by leaf miners.  It is also very common for new leaves to be deformed by  insects, such as thrips or aphids, feeding on young leaves at the very earliest stages of growth. This type of damage can be avoided by spraying the new growth with either a horticultural oil, soapy water solution, or even a strong water spray to remove the insects.  Spraying every couple days to remove the insects eliminates the problem. Once the leaf is damaged it will remain damaged throughout its life. 
« Last Edit: April 25, 2020, 01:40:31 PM by Millet »

gundarak

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2020, 08:51:47 PM »
Millet,

Thanks for the advice! I know you can make soapy spray and horticultural oils at home. Do you have any tried and true formulas you would like to share? Google can be your friend and enemy. Some say dish soap is fine, others say to avoid it, etc.

I would rather ask the experts here on this forum!

Bomand

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #6 on: April 27, 2020, 08:43:48 AM »
I do not use dish soap such as Dawn. It has strong oil cutting ingredients. Citrus leaves are full of oil. Better to purchase a good insecticideal soap available at all big box stores.

poncirsguy

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #7 on: April 27, 2020, 09:41:48 AM »
Dawn is very hard on new citrus growth

Millet

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #8 on: April 27, 2020, 10:53:58 AM »
To avoid leaf damage caused by insect feeding on the earliest stage leaf development stage, one must remove feeding insects from the tender growth.  Thrips and aphids and even mites feeding at this leaf stage cause the leaves to be come deformed.  This deformation remains for the leaf's life. I use a horticultural oil spray program, usually spraying three or more times over the leaves first couple weeks of life.  Even a thorough washing from a hose water spray every couple days seem to work quite well.  What approach on does, what is required is to ensure that all damaging insects are removed from the new growth.

Yorgos

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Re: Identify Pest on Ponderosa Lemon
« Reply #9 on: April 27, 2020, 03:49:37 PM »
Yorgos, Bomand,

Thank you for the warm welcome and advice! I am very familiar with leaf miners and my comment was made because i saw the deformed leaves but no line paths inside them. I will search for Bayer but i know as the tree becomes older it will provide its own defense alongside what I can do.

I was more concerned about that wasp. Someone locally mentioned to me it could be a borer and I freaked a little. I found these other guys too. One looks like a wasp and the other i have no idea. Both are very tiny and zoomed in almost all the way on my phone. Are these guys dangerous?

Sorry, I feel like a first time parent! Lol



The top pic is an immature grasshopper of some sort. Unless you have lots of them any damage they do is minimal so no worries.  The bottom is an ichneumon wasp. These wasps are solitary, do not sting but deposit their eggs in caterpillar or larval hosts. They are a beneficial insect.
Near NRG Stadium, Houston Texas. USDA zone 9a