Leaf miners and orange dogs are both here. The leaf miners caught me off guard and started with a vengance on the first flush. They are all over my Miewa and one of my satsumas. I squashed a few hundred, but there's way too many to get all of them-- will start oil sprays as soon as the weather clears.

I usually can control the orange dogs by getting most of the eggs before they hatch.

Are leaf miners small caterpillars? Have you tried shaking the branches to see if they drop off? I've found that inch worms are very easy to dislodge(from vegetables) by shaking or flicking the plant. It depends on how well the caterpillar holds on, some won't let go but some drop like flies.

jc

What are "orange dogs?" Any pictures?

Orange dogs are the caterpillars of the giant swallowtail butterfly, they look like bird poop for camouflage and the get pretty big--they can devour a lot of leaves if left alone.

Citrus Leaf miners are tiny little larvae of a moth that is only a couple mm long. The larvae tunnel around inside the leaf, just under the clear surface layer of the leaf leaving a silvery trail, when they are ready, they fold a section of leaf usually near the edge and make a cocoon of sorts with the leaf. They cause the leaf to curl and distort itself and can open the leaf to disease. They are difficult to kill, since they are under the surface of the leaf. Oil will deter the moth from laying eggs on the new growth.

You can see the larvae with your naked eye if you know what you are looking for--the tiny yellow worm at the end of the trail.

http://www.forestryimages.org/browse/subthumb.cfm?sub=4315&start=1

http://johnpanza.googlepages.com/citrusleafminer

I know what you mean about the orange dogs. I have pulled off about a hundred in the last week. Yesterday, I actually heard one munching before I saw it. It was about 2' above my head on a lemonquat branch. It was the same size as my little finger! It amazes me how quickly they can eat. Even the orange dogs have discerning tastes- they seem to bother my trifoliate hybrids last.

If you look carefully at new growth, you can often find the small orange eggs --single eggs, usually on new growth. I pick them off and transfer them to the lawn grass (that way if they adapt to eating grass they can survive ).