University of California
The California Backyard Orchard
What does cooling weather do to citrus leafminer?
The nights are finally cooling down and this in combination with shortening daylength, signals pests to slow down their development and in some cases go into diapause. Citrus leafminer will stop development soon and just sit in leaves in various stages through the winter. The youngest larval instars will die due to the cold. The older larval instars and pupae will become prey to predators and parasites. The leafminer population will survive primarily as a few pupae and adults, which is why it will start out in very low numbers in the spring.
Comments:
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The temperatures that might kill the citrus leafminer would be really harsh on nursery plants. An alternative to insecticides might be to prune the new flush off all of the plants to stop the cycle of egg laying.
Posted by Ivan Tellez on December 28, 2010 at 6:22 PM