Citrus Insects
About Citrus Thrips
• Adults are about 1 mm long,
orange-yellow in color
• Wings are fringed with long
hairs
• 1st instar larva is very small;
the 2nd instar is about the
same size as the adult
• Overwinter as eggs
Adult citrus thrips
2nd and 1st instar larvae
• In spring and summer, adults lay eggs in new leaf
tissue, young fruit or green twigs
About Citrus Thrips
Citrus thripsAdults- Abdomen rounded,
active
• Larva has spines or hairs not
visible with a hand lens
Citrus Thrips
Damage
• Mostly caused by 2nd instar
larvae feeding under the
sepals of young fruit, leaving
scabs on the rind
• Fruit are susceptible to
scarring until they are about
3.7 cm diameter
• Navel oranges are more susceptible to damage
than are Valencia oranges, which often do not
require treatment
Citrus Thrips
Solutions
• Pesticide treatments post-bloom
• Organophosphate and carbamate pesticides
stimulate thrips reproduction
• Thrips rapidly develop resistance to chemicals
used repeatedly and frequently for its control
• Treatments to prevent foliar damage are not
recommended
• When monitoring citrus thrips, distinguish them
from flower thrips, which feed on flower parts but
do not damage fruit
About Citrus
Red Mite
• Female mites are oval
shaped with white hairs
• Eggs are laid on both sides of leaves
• Populations increase in spring, late
summer, and early fall in response to
new growth
• Active stages prefer to feed on fully
expanded young leaves but will also
infest fruit
Citrus Red Mite
Damage
• Feeding results in pale
stippling visible primarily
on the upper leaf surface
• May cause leaf drop and twigs dieback
• Stippling or silvering also occurs on green fruit,
but damage usually disappears when fruit change
color
• High populations can cause fruit sunburn in hot
weather
Citrus Red Mite
Solutions
• Mites increase their reproduction on water-stressed trees.
Good irrigation reduces red mite outbreaks. Water roads to
limit dust buildup, which also promotes mites.
• The most important natural enemies are predaceous
mites, however, predaceous insects, and a virus are also
important in regulating citrus red mite populations
• Hot temperatures and low humidity also reduce citrus red
mite populations
• Monitor orchards and use narrow range selective miticides
whenever possible
About Armored Scales
• Female scales remain
under a cover throughout
their life, and do not move
Red Scale
• Females lay many eggs; 1st
instar 'crawlers' move
around to find suitable
places to settle
• Mature males are winged
and do not cause damage
Purple Scale
Scale Crawlers
Armored Scales
Damage
• Feeding on leaves causes yellowing; on
young fruit the feeding sites remain green
• High populations may cause defoliation
and twig dieback
Armored Scales
Solutions
• High levels of resistance to
organophosphates and
carbamates
• Scales are often controlled by
resident and augmented
natural enemies
• Minimize use of broadspectrum pesticides
Adult Male Red Scale
Aphytis parasitoid
About Soft
Scales
Cottony Cushion Scale
Brown Scale
• Soft scales reproduce without
mating and lay many eggs
• May settle on leaves, twigs,
branches, and trunk, and less
often on fruit
Black Scale
Citricola Scale
Soft Scales
Damage
• Extract plant sap from
leaves, twigs, and
branches, reducing tree
vigor
• Soft scales secrete honeydew, promoting the
growth of sooty mold; downgrades fruit quality
• Heavy infestations may cause leaf and fruit drop,
and twig dieback
Soft Scales
Solutions
• Predatory beetles
• Parasitic wasps,
Metaphycus spp.
• Control ants, that interfere
with biological control
• If treatment is necessary,
apply summer oil treatment
as soon as possible when
crawlers are present
Metaphycus exit hole