Species

  Infests 

Description &  Damage

Citrus rust mite

Mainly on under surface of younger leaves and on fruit

 Requires 1OX mag; 1/200"and wedge shaped, yellow and slow  moving; causes silvering & russeting of fruit

Citrus red mite

Mainly on upper surface of younger leaves - also on green twigs and fruit 

 Adults may be seen with naked eye.  Plump, red to purple, body with long, bristles 4 pair of legs; eggs round and red with stalk. Damaged leaves appear gray and scratched; mesophyll collapse

Texas citrus mite

Same as for citrus red mite

Similar to above in size and shape. Shiny and green to brown in color; eggs light reddish brown flat and disc shaped. Damage same as by red mite

False spider mite

Leaves and fruit

Requires 10X mag; 1/00" and flat pear shaped, bright red with 4 pair of legs and slow moving. Their feeding causes brown irregular spots on grapefruit (known as 'nail-head' rust)

Chaff scale

As above and also on bark of twigs and limbs

Seen with naked eye but not conspicuous. Armor nearly round with an off center light brown shield surrounded by a nearly transparent chaffy apron. Insect underneath armor is purple in adults but may be white to purple in young. Injects toxin that prevents degreening and lowers fruit grade

California red scale

Leaves and fruit. Heavy infestations may kill young trees

Easily seen armor is circular and rusty red in color with a distinct nipple at the  center. Insect beneath is 'kidney shaped' yellow or at times with a reddish cast. Crawlers are yellow. Heavy infestations lowers fruit grade.

Florida red scale

Leaves and fruit only

 Easily seen nearly round armor reddish purple in color with a central nipple of lighter color. Body beneath is yellow.  Heavy infestation lowers fruit grade.

Purple scale

Older leaves, fruit and twigs

Seen with naked eye; brown to purplish armor comma or oyster-shell shape with white insect beneath. Injects toxin causes leaf chlorosis and downgrading of fruit.

Glover scale

As above for Purple Scale

As above for Purple Scale but longer and narrower

Brown soft scale

Leaves and tender green twigs

Large, turtle-back scales, with a leathery surface but without a separate armor. Color light to medium brown. Secrete abundant honeydew on which black sooty mold fungus grows. Removes sap from tissues and weakens tree.

Black scale

Fruiting twigs fruit stems and leaves

Large, humped scales dark brown to black in color with rough ridges forming an "H". The young scales are oval and flattened and light brown mottled or barred with dark brown. Secrete honeydew. Damage as above.

Barnacle scale

Twigs and along midrib on upper surface of leaves

Dusty white to gray; six angular plates  on sides and one on top. (Each with central spot). Young with wax filaments appear 'star-like'. Secrete honeydew  remove sap.

Florida wax scale

Along midrib on upper surface of mature leaves

Easily seen, pinkish white raised oval scales. The young have marginal wax  filaments giving a star-like appearance. Damage as above.

Cottony cushion scale

Leaves and twigs in young groves

Orange red scale usually with a large fluted egg sac of white wax. Occur in  clusters and easily seen. Damage as above.

Citrus mealybug

Bark,  leaves,  twigs between fruits and under fruit buttons

Soft,  pale yellow slow moving insects covered with white powdery wax. The adults are flat oval in shape with waxy filaments and up to 1/8 inch long.  Remove sap and secrete honeydew.

Citrus blackfly

On the underside of the leaves

Eggs are yellowish-brown and laid in a spiral on the underside of the leaf. Adults are winged and slate blue in color with white spots. Immatures are  oval dusty gray with stout sphines on dorsum. Damage as above.

Citrus whitefly Cloudy-winged whitefly

Undersurface of tender leaves

Adults resemble very small white moths. These lay cigar shaped eggs yellow to black in color. The young are oval and are so flattened and transparent that they are difficult to detect. They become immobile and produce much honeydew. Damage as above.

Aphids

  Tender new growth

Green citrus aphid - Young are same color as leaves; adults are green with brown thorax.

Black citrus aphid - dark brown to black.

Cotton aphid - smaller  yellow green   to dark green and brown. Injects toxin causes leaves and young stems to twist and curl.

Flatid planthopper

Stem terminals near newly developing fruit

Adults wedge-shaped and grayish white;  young are waxy white with wingbuds visible; hop when disturbed. Cover  terminals with flocculent white wax. Secrete honeydew remove sap.

Leafcutting ants

Leaves and green twigs 

Moderately large ant with enlarges head and manibles. Cut circular patterns in leaf margins and carry leaf pieces above head 'parasol-like' along trails to mounds often in brushy areas near citrus. May defoliate entire twigs or even trees.

Mexican fruitfly

Pulp and albedo of fruit

  Adult yellow brown and larger than a housefly. Wings are mottled with brown bands and an inverted 'V' on lower half of each wing. Maggots spindle shaped  whitish yellow with distinct black 'mouth  hooks'. Burrow in juice vesicles and albedo; maggots exiting fruit leave a distinct hole in peel that 'weeps'.