What do they look like? Adults are a small, plain looking moth wingspan is only around 5mm, they are rarely spotted. The most obvious symptoms of leaf miners are silver squiggly lines on the surface of leaves, these leaves are often curled up and crinkly.
What do they do? Target new growth on citrus, the small moth lays eggs on the leaf which small larvae hatch out of. When the larvae hatch they tunnel in the cuticle of the leaf, making silver trails, distorting and curling the leaves, preventing photosynthesis, and retarding growth and fruiting.
Control Prevention is the best policy. By regularly spraying (every 2 weeks) your citrus with Eco-oil, you place an oily slick on the leaves which is abhorrent to the moth, so she will not lay any eggs. Once you have this problem it is best to prune off all affected leaves then feed to encourage a fresh flush of growth.Then you should protect this new growth with the spraying oil.
* Here at The Garden Clinic we are currently testing a new trap for Citrus Leaf Miner. We don't have any feedback yet as it is still early days, but we will be sure to let you know how they go. To find out more about this product or to try some yourself visit their website http://www.insense.com.au/
Powered By WEBHEAD