What’s Eating My Meyer Lemon Tree Leaves? 7 Common Culprits

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Safeguard your Meyer Lemon Tree from common pests with these proven tips for a luscious, bug-free harvest!

Nothing’s more frustrating than walking out to your Meyer lemon tree and finding its leaves riddled with holes or dots. If you’ve noticed severe damage on the foliage, chances are some critter is feeding on your plant.

The Meyer lemon (Citrus x meyeri) is one of the most popular dwarf citrus trees for home growing But these trees aren’t immune from pest problems

In this article, we’ll cover the most likely suspects eating your Meyer lemon leaves and solutions for protecting your tree.

7 Common Meyer Lemon Leaf-Eating Pests

Here are the usual offenders that can destroy Meyer lemon foliage:

1. Snails and Slugs

  • Chew irregular holes in leaves, especially along edges and between veins

  • Feed at night then hide during day

  • Leave behind slime trails on leaves and ground

  • Thrive in cool, wet weather

2. Aphids

  • Cluster on new growth sucking sap from leaves and shoots

  • Secrete sticky honeydew leading to sooty mold fungus

  • Cause leaf curling, yellow spotted foliage, and shoot distortion

3. Scale Insects

  • Armored scales attach to stems and underside of leaves

  • Soft scales cluster on stems and fruit

  • Both secrete honeydew leading to sooty mold

  • Can kill shoots and reduce vigor

4. Spider Mites

  • Tiny pests colonize on underside of leaves

  • Feed on sap causing stippling damage

  • Webbing may be visible in severe infestations

  • Leaves turn bronze and drop under heavy feeding

5. Thrips

  • Very small insects that rasp and feed on leaves

  • Leaves take on silvery spotted look

  • Tips and edges turn brown in severe cases

6. Leafminers

  • Larvae tunnel between upper and lower leaf surfaces

  • Causes meandering trails or blotches on leaves

  • Can stunt shoot growth

7. Fruit Tree Leafroller Caterpillars

  • Green worms wrap leaves together to feed inside

  • Eat foliage and fruit, leaving bare patches

  • Produce webbing around rolled up leaves

Solutions for Protecting Meyer Lemon Trees

Once you’ve identified the culprit, here are organic and safe ways to get rid of leaf-eating pests and prevent future damage:

Remove by Hand

  • Pluck off egg masses, insects, and other signs to disrupt lifecycle

  • Drop pests into soapy water or seal in bag to kill

  • Use a strong spray of water to knock off populations

Apply Horticultural Oils

  • Smother soft-bodied insects and disrupt feeding

  • Best for treating aphids, mites, scales, and other sap feeders

  • Use lightweight summer oil to avoid leaf burn

Employ Natural Predators

  • Ladybugs, lacewings, and other beneficial insects prey on pests

  • Attract them by avoiding pesticides and planting pollinator plants

  • Can purchase beneficials and release onto infested tree

Install Barriers

  • Wrap tree trunk with copper tape to block snails and slugs

  • Use floating row cover to keep out moth/butterfly leafrollers

  • Apply sticky barriers like Tanglefoot to trap crawling insects

Maintain Tree Health

  • Healthy, vigorous trees better withstand pest damage

  • Ensure proper light, water, fertilization, and pruning

  • Fix any soil issues and avoid overcrowding branches

Apply Organic Insecticides

  • Insecticidal soaps, neem oil, spinosad, Bt, and garlic spray deter pests

  • Rotate different products to prevent resistance

  • Spot treat only infested parts of tree to limit impact on beneficials

Preventative Care is Key

While dealing with current infestations is important, prevention is ideal to avoid major damage in the future:

  • Select pest-resistant Meyer lemon varieties like Improved Meyer

  • Inspect trees frequently to spot issues early before they spread

  • Keep tree area clean and free of debris

  • Promote beneficial predator insects in your garden

  • Apply dormant oil spray before buds open in late winter

No one wants to see their Meyer lemon tree leaves ravaged by chewing, sucking, or tunneling pests. But with vigilance and integrated pest management, you can protect your tree’s foliage and keep it thriving.

Inspect leaves often, identify problems promptly, and use a combination of gentle, organic solutions. Keeping your tree’s leaves lush and intact will lead to an abundant, lasting harvest.

️ Methods to Prevent and Treat Citrus Leaf Miner Problems

Vigilance is your first line of defense. Inspect your Meyer Lemon Tree regularly, especially the new growth where leaf miners love to feast. If you catch them early, you can often prune out the affected leaves to prevent further damage.

Keep your tree healthy and robust; a well-cared-for Meyer Lemon is less inviting to pests. Ensure it gets proper nutrition, water, and sunlight. A stressed tree is a beacon for leaf miners.

Got infested leaves? Remove them promptly and destroy them to interrupt the leaf miners life cycle. A strong blast of water can also dislodge the larvae from the leaves.

Release beneficial insects, like parasitic wasps, that prey on leaf miners. These little heroes can help keep the pest population in check without any chemical intervention.

If the infestation is severe, consider using insecticides with foliar systemic activity, such as spinosad. Remember, timing is crucial; apply treatments when miners are active but before they burrow into the leaves. Always follow label directions to protect yourself and the environment.

Pro tip: Avoid broad-spectrum pesticides that can harm beneficial insects. Instead, opt for targeted treatments that specifically address leaf miners.

Managing Fungus Gnats and Fruit Flies Around Meyer Lemon Trees

Fungus gnats are tiny, dark, and love to hover around moist soil. Their larvae feast on organic matter and can stress your Meyer Lemon Trees roots. With their bright red eyes, fruit flies can be easily identified. They would rather eat the sweet decay of overripe fruit than your plants’ dirt. Spotting these pests early is crucial for the health of your tree.

Is something eating your citrus trees?

FAQ

How do I keep bugs from eating my lemon tree leaves?

Use 2 to 3 tablespoons of dish soap. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to help it stick to the plant. Fill the rest of the jug with water and shake well. Spray the mixture onto your lemon tree to prevent pests.

What is eating the leaves off my lemon tree?

Identification tip: Young citrus leaves and shoots are chewed, rolled, and webbed by many different species of caterpillars including amorbia, fruittree leafroller, and orange tortrix. Light brown apple moth, an exotic leafroller (Tortricidae), also causes this damage.

What do you spray on lemon tree leaves?

They have natural predators so it is important not to use toxic sprays that will kill the good bugs, e.g. wasps and small spiders. Make a concentrate of 2 cups of olive oil and a ½ cup of detergent. Use 1 teaspoon per litre of water and spray all over the leaves in the cool of the day.

What animal is eating my lemon tree leaves?

Have you noticed something eating your citrus tree leaves lately? The culprit is most likely the orange dog caterpillar. I saw a couple of small citrus trees completely defoliated by this little beast! The orange dog caterpillar looks like bird droppings on citrus tree leaves.

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