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Citrus leafminer

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Citrus leafminer damage symptoms

Citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella) is the only leafminer that attacks citrus in Australia. The adult female moth lays her eggs on young citrus leaves and when they hatch, the larvae immediately burrow under the surface of the leaf. The larvae complete their development under the leaf cuticle, feeding on sap. As they move around the leaf they leave behind them a sinuous silvery trail of lifted cuticle, lined with exctreta. Infested leaves become distorted (twisted and curled) as they grow, and severe infestations can stunt the growth of young trees.

Citrus leafminer natural enemies

Natural enemies of citrus leafminer include generalsist predators such as lacewings, and a range of parasitoid wasps.

Citrus leafminer is generally not active in Spring when the dominant growth flush occurs. This means that while often unsightly, citrus leaf miner rarely warrants chemical intervention.

Detailed information about the lifecycle, natural enemies and management of this pest can be found in Citrus Pests and Their Natural Enemies: As this publication is currently out of print, you may wish to view a pdf of the section on citrus leafminer here.

Insect larva inside light green leaf with winding leaf mining trails.
Moth on wet green leaf with damage; blurred background emphasizes focus on moth and leaf.
Leaves with glossy, irregular patches, possibly due to pest infestation or disease, various greens.
Young plant with curling leaves in grassy field under partly cloudy sky, trees in the background.
Close-up of a damaged green leaf with browning, against a blurred outdoor background.
Close-up of a green leaf with damage and brown spots, indicating disease or pest problems.
Small wasp on plant stem with orange cocoons beneath.

Solutions

Adult green lacewing
(Photo: Dan Papacek)

Lacewing

Lacewings are aggressive general predators that feed on a range of pest insects and mites. They are known to feed on citrus leafminer, and while releases of lacewings are unlikely to give economic control in an orchard situation, this could be a worthwhile management tool in home gardens and nurseries.
Red plastic nozzle caps over green apples and leaves on a tree.
Codling moth pheromone lure (10 pack)

Pheromone lures

Citrus leafminer pheromone lures can be used as a monitoring tool. These species-specific lures attract male citrus leafminer moths by mimicking the scent of the female moth. They can be used to monitor activity of the adult population, giving an early warning of pest activity and an indication of pest pressure throughout the season. This information can be used to improve pest management decisions and outcomes.
Biobest logo with bee illustration, promoting sustainable crop management.

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Disclaimer:

While we make every effort to supply you with beneficial insects and mites to help improve your pest management, and to reduce the need for pesticides, we cannot guarantee the outcome in every situation.  Our biocontrol agents do feed readily on the species that we have specified in our tech sheets and on our website.  However, there are many variables including accurate pest identification, plant species, pest density, numbers of beneficials released, environmental conditions and history of pesticide usage that influence the outcomes.  We will always do our best to help you achieve a positive outcome but we simply cannot guarantee that your problem will be solved to your satisfaction.  Because every situation is unique we are constantly learning about how best to use our good bugs.  We appreciate any feedback from your experience.

The entomology team, Bugs for Bugs.