I always wanted to know if CLM pests die in the hard frosts that we had in the past months? My citrus collection was looking pretty pathetic after last year's CLM attack. I am wondering if all the new growth in the coming spring would fare any better if all the CLM died in the cold.

Hi!

Last winter, we had rather unusual cold (my gauge measured -8.9 C) and then did not see CLM till mid summer. Yes, it seems like they do not tolerate cold very well.

CLM pupate in the ground. They don't freeze.

My CLM attacks always come after August and lasts until November. I always thought that the new plants that I bring home from the nursery have carried the pest home. This year, I do not plan on adding any new plants. If they pupate in the ground, what happens to them for almost 8 months in the year? Do they go dormant until they start appearing? Oh, how I hate those little pests!

The CLM is quite cold tolerant but the Asian Citrus Psyllid which is much more dangerous cannot survive hard freezes. The freeze last year probably killed most of the citus psyllids.

I'd wondered the same thing about the leaf miners (and the psyllids) and their resistance to freezing temperatures. Hopefully this winter's dramatic cold has killed most of the psyllids in the Charleston, SC vicinity.

Compared to many others on this board I have comparatively few trees (16 in-ground) and being fairly young trees they're still small. Two summers ago (2009) after battling with a severe infestation of leaf miners I spent hours plucking off any leaves I saw that were damaged by or visibly hosting miners. I found a few more that fall that I quickly removed, but I'm proud to say it's been over a year since I've seen a single leaf miner on my citrus.

For those of us removed from the citrus belt and far away from other citrus hobbylists, total eradication of leaf miners appears to be possible!

Here in California, especially S. California, we're having a dickens of a time with CLM. Here's info from UC IPM about CLM: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r107303211.html

And U of Florida IFAS Extension also has some really great, detailed info about CLM as well as ACP, and discusses the use of soil-applied systemic insecticides for young, non-bearing (the operative word here) trees:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in686

Out here, most citrus nurseries and growers use a combination of Spinosad and Volk oil sprayed in the evening (no wind and when the moth starts to become active), starting with the first spring flush and spraying every 3 to 6 weeks for 3 applications. Then again in the late summer/early fall (August or September) using the same application method. That way, you can avoid spraying during bloom time (except for lemons which bloom all the time). Spinosad is mildly toxic to honey bees, so we try to watch for that. Yes, you can use a systemic insecticide, but then, you'd have to not eat that crop of fruit. Not willing to sacrifice a crop of fruit for systemic insecticide application. But, if your fruit trees are very young and not blooming or setting fruit, you could safely use a systemic insecticide. I have been using the Spinosid + Volk oil and have kept it at bay this spring, plus knocked out aphids on top of that (since we've had SO much rain here, and with the rain comes the dratted aphids). A bit more work, but all my trees are producing except 3, so this is working for me. Unfortunately, they are also blooming, so it's hard to see bees get affected.

Also, there are phermone traps that do a very good job, as well as a new product called SPLAT that has been developed by ISCA Technologies that has been approved in several states (still awaiting California approval):
http://www.iscatech.com/exec/SPLATCLM.htm

This is a company filled with some brilliant minds, and looking at non-insecticidal pest management options. As soon as this product is available in California, it will be in all my trees.

I just called the company and they said that it is not registered here in Georgia but it is registered in Florida and California. The guy I spoke with said that they just got it approved for CA. $59 for a kit that comes with SPLAT syringe and traps. Let me know how it works!

Wow, excellent news! In knew it was eminent for California, but didn't know they had gotten approval. I'll be ordering this for sure. I have a huge problem with CLM because I back an 80 acre abandoned Valencia orange orchard (long, very sad story), so it's not being managed and I'm sure has many pest issues going on, one being CLM. I'll let folks know how this goes for me. 100% of my citrus were affected and affected severely last year. Very frustrating.

Update with ISCA Technologies: Just gave them a call. They are fine-tuning their application protocols for residential citrus growers and they have kindly included me in their trials, so I will be following some protocols for application suggestions to help with developing residential application recommendations. I'll be their "worst case scenario" no doubt, due to my high exposure of CLM due to the abandoned orchard. So, if I can keep CLM at bay with their new SPLAT product, then anyone else in a residential setting should have excellent results. I have about 25 citrus trees in 2 main locations (and the third location is sort of in between my front yard slope and my backyard slope.) So, I'll keep everyone posted. They are such an impressive company with so many brilliant scientists, as a registered nurse, I'm so impressed with their work. If I were to "do it over again", I'd love to get a degree in Citrus Management, with a focus on non-pesticidal pest management practices. It is so outside the box thinking, and so much healthier. Just very impressed with this company. Here's their web site again, if anyone has missed it:
http://www.iscatech.com/exec/SPLATCLM.htm

As Camo mentioned, it is approved for use by the FDA in Florida and for commercial use in California, and I know they're working on Texas and hopefully other citrus states as well.

Keep us updated, Patty. My problem is that I do not see any CLM until early Fall and then, WHAM! they are all over the place! I also suspect that whenever I bring new citrus from the nursery I introduce CLM into my environment (I bought a FourWinds tangerine from Lowes last year and it had CLM on it right from the store). I am not going to buy any new citrus this year, so let us see how it goes!
There is no explanation for why the CLM are missing in my yard in Spring and Summer. My yard is teeming with ladybugs, spiders and such - could they be controlling the moths in the Spring and Summer? I find it hard to believe that they live in the ground until August/Sept and then reappear.

I suspect you're not near any areas that are infested. CLM are not great fliers, so they can't travel long distances, and if you have a small amount, they can be eradicated and not come back. But, sounds like they're somewhere nearby you, and proliferate in the Fall, so prevention is the key. Start spraying in the late summer every 3 weeks through the Fall and you should be fine And I will let folks know how my SPLAT treatments go. It is a great concept, just hoping I can keep my huge infestations at bay with all my new citrus trees. They are particularly susceptible due to the high percentage of new tender growth.

Good to know, Phillip. I get hit twice hard - in the spring when we get our first real warmth, and then in Aug/Sept like you do. I hope this will keep them at bay. My poor citrus looked so haggard, especially my Eureka lemon. Every tree was affected to some degree.