They seem to attack only new growth on my trees. I havn't had any new growth since the late summer flush. So, I have had less damage lately. I've given up trying to control them. It doesn't make sense to me.

I've a question to you both..Your citrus have LM'ers, right? If you unfurl a leaf do you actually see this bug? Thanks, Toni

If you unfurl the leaf soon after it "furls", you will find something that resembles a grain of brown rice, although about five times smaller. A leaf miner that is actively tunneling can be found by finding the end of the tunnel. Smaller than the pupae, and green.

Don't be squeemish.......squish em'!

Oh my goodness..squish them w/fingers? LOL Yuck..I'm going to check citrus in the gh and if any leaves are curled I'll unroll..then bring a piece of paper towel, in case I find any..I hope I don't..That's gross..
So, these guys are really tiny? I've a magnifying glass around here somewhere, so if I spot any furled leaves I'll check..What about adults? How large do they get? Toni

This was the first year I have really noticed a severe problem with citrus leaf minor on my trees, especially in mid to late summer and all on new tender growth. I wonder if Bacillus thuringensis would help control them. Any thoughts?

Scott -- Leafminers can only attack newer growth, because the leaf tissues are much more easily penetrated than older, establised growth.

Citrus X -- BTI might be excellent for leafminers, as it is for most other larvae. But, how do you apply it to a pest that has "mined" its way within the leaf?

Would some type of foliar spray kill this pests?

see link

Here is a link that might be useful: leaf miners

Toni - Think of citrus leaves as a car; and think of leafminers as a driver inside of the car. The driver is protected from the elements (like rain) just like a leafminer is protected from foliar sprays. Strange analogy, I know. But it's the best picture I could paint for you.

MrTexas - The link appears to be dead, on my end at least. Please post it again. Thanks.

here it is again

Here is a link that might be useful: leaf miners

3rd try

Here is a link that might be useful: leaf miners

In Florida we have given up on battling leaf miners -- they are just the cost of doing business . With citrus canker and greening disease to deal with , miners are nothing !

Gatormom - Funny thing is, leafminers add to the canker threat. I've seen it mentioned by several folks from Florida that ya'll don't worry about the leafminers, since you can't really do anything about them. It may be like spitting in the wind, but I would certainly try to control them, if I lived in Florida.

AnotherAlterEgo,
In the landscape business leaf minors can be very destructive on vinca minor groundcover. Timming is critical for control. Like with vinca minor, if the product could be sprayed on citrus to coincide with new growth flushes you might get some control which would be better than none. Even though they tunnel inside the leaf they would ingest BT entering and exiting one leaf and moving to the next leaf and I'm thinking as small as they are one exposure might do the trick.

If I had small container trees I would certainly give control a try . I have 22 trees in the ground and some are 15 feet or taller . I have so much fruit that I could fill several trucks full . This year is a bumper crop and so juicy and flavorful . Our fruit is ripening ahead of schedule too .
I agree that any injury allows the tree to become more susceptible to other diseases . I might try BT on some of the smaller recently planted trees that are easier to reach . Certainly wouldn't hurt !

BT's toxicity varies, depending on the subspecies. Please let us know how your attempts work out.

Thanks for the input - I realize these pests are not
destructive to adult trees, altho they do make the trees look bad. My concern was for my seedlings, about a foot tall. They have very few leaves and I am worried about the photosynthesis process. The fertilome appeared to be working, but the miners go after the new growth and one would have to spray almost every day to control them. Since the seedlings are out side, and with cooler weather here in TX, they will stop growing and I will know in the spring whether they have survived the leaf miners - Thanks again.

Bill

After hurricane Rita no attention was gave to the citrus in the back yard. Yesterday I looked at them and the CLM have really done a lot of damage. On non bearing trees Merit does an excellent job of controlling them. Bayer tree and shrub spray has the active ingretient, Imdocloprid in their product. It can be used as a drench. Confirm 2F along with spinosaid does control the CLM. We used Confirm 2F for a couple of years before using the Bayer product.