How to kill leaf miners on citrus tree's?

Question

I have some of these on my trees, A lot of them. On my leaves and on my trunk. http://blogs.chron.com/greenspace/caterpillar2.jpg

Can these kill my tree. How do I kill them. I found a really big one that has a head like a snake and maybe is 4in long.

The person that was talking about these from the photo said they are called leaf miners. Why are they on my stalk?

Answer 1

That doesn't look like the leaf miners I've met but that catepillar can still do some danger to your citrus.  The leaf miners I know burrow inside the leaf and leave behind squiggly trails inside the leaf.

If you have catepillars remove what you can (if that doesn't bother you) and dunk them all in soapy water.  (I place mine in a shallow bird bath for birds to feast on.)

These rascals don't kill your tree per se, but a heavy infestation of ANY pests can weaken a tree enough to invite secondary diseases.

Answer 2

That my friend is a picture of a caterpillar  called an Orange Dog, and is the larval stage of the Giant Swallowtail butterfly. They love to feed off the leaves of citrus trees.

They can be quite damaging to young citrus trees and saplings but not so much if your tree is already mature.

The only pest control measurement you need to take in this case is simply pick off the caterpillars.

If you want to help the butterflies out..

I've also read that you can put out some "common rue" plants. Everytime you see one of the caterpillars, place them on the plants . These "common rue" plants smell just like citrus and the orange dogs love to eat off them.