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Pacific Pests, Pathogens & Weeds - Mini Fact Sheet Edition

Citrus leafminer (240)

Photo 1. Young leaves of grapefruit showing mines of citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, on the under surface. Note the dark lines; these are the faecal matter from the caterpillar.

Photo 2. Mines of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, on the under surface of cumquat leaves. Note the mines are confined to either side of the midrib, and they show the faecal lines and silvery surfaces.

Photo 3. Young flush of twisted curled leaves of grapefruit caused by the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella.

Photo 4. Strap-like leaves (arrowed) of cumquat infested by the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella.

Photo 5. Mines of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, on the upper surface of a cumquat leaf. Note it appears that the mine has crossed the midrib.

Photo 6. Mines of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, on the upper surface of sweet orange leaves. The mines have not cross the midrib.

Photo 7. Older mines of the citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, that caused leaves of sweet orange to curl. Note that the mines are on the upper surface of the leaves.

Photo 8. Pupa of citrus leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella, in its cocoon at the edge of a leaf; note the leaf has been unrolled to show details.

Summary

Worldwide distribution. In the tropics and sub-tropics. Most commonly on members of the citrus family, e.g., cumquat, grapefruit, lime, and sour orange. An important pest.
A moth larvae damages new shoots of trees; worse in nurseries and on young trees.
Eggs laid singly near midribs of young leaves; larvae hatch, mine the surface layers causing leaves to distort. Mines fill with air and look silvery; and they have a central line of excreta.
Natural enemies: parasitoid wasps.
Cultural control: prune damage on nursery plants and young field trees, and collect and burn the prunings.
Chemical control: leafminer worse where pesticides are used against other insects (e.g., Diaphorina that spreads citrus greeing disease). Use pest oils at start of main flush when shoots are 20-30cm long.

Common Name

Citrus leafminer

Scientific Name

Phyllocnistis citrella

AUTHOR Grahame Jackson
Information from Waterhouse DF (1998) Biological Control of Insect Pests: Southeast Asian Prospects. ACIAR Monograph No. 51, 548 pp. Brown Prior Anderson, Melbourne.

Produced with support from the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research under project PC/2010/090: Strengthening integrated crop management research in the Pacific Islands in support of sustainable intensification of high-value crop production, implemented by the University of Queensland and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community.

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