Miami Mango tree 'insect/bugs' Invaision???

15 years ago

Hi my fellow Mango Tree enthusiasts,

Ok, I live in Miami as many of you may already know... I have been under attack. These white/gray looking bugs are eating the leaves of my healthy trees. I am pissed off! Any of you have those on your mango tree? I have been looking for the culprit for days until yesterday evening I took a picture of them with my iPhone. No the best picture, but does that look familiar? How can I get rid of them? I am prepared to use sevendust since I hear it is safe for humans\animals but deadly to insects. What do you guys recommend?

I do not want the infestation to get any worst, please help.

Check out the link for images of the damaged leaves/bug:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3015/2701290483_ddd81a9c3f.jpg?v=0

Here is a link that might be useful: bugz

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Comments (15)

dr_scifi
Original Author
15 years ago
look on center of the twig, you will see the bug

Here is a link that might be useful: Better Pic of Bug
puglvr1
15 years ago
I can't really see the bug very well, I attached a pic from a yahoo search. Does it look like this? Mealy bug?
If it is you can use several things that are safe like neem oil, or "Safer Insecticidal Soap". One of the members here uses "Greenlight Fruit Tree Spray", look at the post right below you, Jeff just posted it. Its suppose to take care of several things at one time. You can probably buy it at Lowe's, Home Depot or W.mart? I have never used Sevin dust, so I can't comment on it.

http://www.sarracenia.com/thumbs/nonplant/mealy02t.jpg

Here is a link that might be useful: Green Light Fruit Tree spray
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bluepalm
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With that long proboscis, it looks like a type of weevil to me. Mealy bugs don't really eat leaves voraciously...just suck on the sap. Spray it with the other recommended sprays or use Malathion (but not on emerging/non-hardened leaves).
dr_scifi
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks

However I panicked and went to home depot and got the 7dust. It hooks up to waterhose and sprAy a white waxy liquid on the leaves. I use seven dust powered at home and at my bird house. Their products are effective. I will try what you all recommend once it's finish. What really scared me is I was taking my kids for a walk around the neighborhood and two blocks away I say this juvenile 8feet mango tree that looks healthy but all the leaves were eating up! I saw the future and it scared me so I had to act now!

Thanks again
floridays
15 years ago
If it's a diaprepes beetle (weevil), they will devour leaves. I have had trouble with them eating new growth on both my longan and Valencia Pride mango. See the link below, perhaps this will help with identification...

Here is a link that might be useful: edis - A Guide to Soil Insect Pests Identification
dr_scifi
Original Author
15 years ago
WOW!!! Thanks! Floridays you Rock!

Little Leaf Notcher - Artipus floridanus (Horn)

It looks a lot like the little Leaf Notcher and its large! I already sprayed my tree twice already with the seven dust. My tree looking a little better but don't know if it really worked. Only time will tell. Right now, tons of new leaves/branches just formed on my mango trees. I have given my little babies a lot of some tender loving care, and it shows :-) Growing nicely and fast! Fertilizer doing well.

Since they are flightless, I can load some poison powder on the base of the tree. I see some lizards on my tree and they are my best friend since they eat those damn bugs! BTW, the Seven dust is harmless to animals and plants... Just bugz. Well, when my tree bloom I know I will need it clear of that stuff so the honey bees can fertilize them :-)

Any recommendations to kill those buggers?

Thanks so much you guys.
dr_scifi
Original Author
15 years ago
http://bugguide.net/node/view/5214

Here is a link that might be useful: Picture of bug
amanumar
15 years ago
I have the same problem at my house. These Mango Mealy bugs have started growing again this year. They are in huge number and stick to the main stem of my mango trees. When they are run over by anyone, a yellow liquid comes out of them with a smell. I hate them. Would Green Light Fruit Tree Spray help alot? I want to get rid of them. They look like the same as link posted by puglvr1. If I spray this Fruit Tree Spray, would I get rid of all of them?
Please help
dr_scifi
Original Author
15 years ago
Us the Seven Dust bottle/Spray!!! It hooks up to your water hose and spray's the laves and leave a waxy white stuff safe for the tree and kills these darn bugs. If you tree is fruiting, just wait after the harvest to do it since you will kill the polinators.
rdean_flymiami_com
13 years ago
I have these white looking little flies that seem to form like a white web on the mango leaves. The mango tree is loosing it's leaves (however new growth is visible). When the leaves fall they are dryed up with black stains. This year the mangos have been falling off the tree like crazy. A lot of the mangos just dryed up on the tree. Somebody help me with what I should do. My tree is very large so if I spray I would not be able to reach the top. Is there something I can place on the base of the tree?
marinfla
13 years ago
That is most certainly an asian grey weevil which is most probably the same bug as what dr scifi posted. there are articles you can find if you search asian grey weevil. some offer solutions. They aren't that easy to eradicate so you have to hope they don't eat much and try neem oil. that helped when I had them.
murahilin
13 years ago
It does not sound like the Asian weevil. It sounds more like whitefly but unless I see a picture it will be difficult to be 100% sure.

I wouldn't worry too much about the tree dropping leaves and mangos if it is a large tree. Mango trees are pretty resilient. Has any work been done near the tree possibly damaging the roots and therefore weakening it?

There is not really anything you can place at the bottom of the tree to get rid of whitefly or many other pests that I know of. If it was in fact the Asian root weevil you could possibly spray the soil around the tree with a beneficial nematode to get the larva of the weevil but like I said I do not think it is the weevil based on your description.

Neem oil and other insecticidal soaps work well to control white fly without being that damaging to the environment.
marinfla
13 years ago
murahilin the picture dr scifi posted is definitely an asian grey weevil and the foliage eating/destruction pattern is consistent with that weevil. I have seen them down here in the South Florida. They can cause a lot of foliage damage and the larval stage of this pest can cause damage to the roots when there is a huge infestation as the larva drop into the soil from the leaves.
murahilin
13 years ago
Yes you are correct about what Dr Scifi posted... but his original post was over 3 years ago.. I thought you were referring to the problem the most recent poster Elisa had. I am not sure if Dr Scifi is still facing his problem. I hope not.
marinfla
13 years ago
If you can believe the coincidence....after I read this post (while riding home from UF Graduation 2011 in Gainesville) When I got home I went out to my yard to check to see if my trees needed water and found 2 of those pain in the neck weevils on my Keitt tree...
guess I will be out there myself tomorrow spraying everything :(

Miami Mango tree 'insect/bugs' Invaision???

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