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Ants Keep your tree free of ants! They will farm scales or aphids, etc. moving them from place to place, milking their secretions, and protecting them from beneficial insects. Commercial ant baits that contain boric acid can be helpful. Natural concoctions made at home can also work. You can make an insecticide spray that will also repel ants.
Harmful Insects (Scales, Mealy bugs, Aphids, Mites, etc.) If you find harmful insects like scales, white-fly, aphids, or mites, all leaves and branches need to be cleaned of all pests AND the honeydew. Honeydew is sprayed all over the leaves and branches and causes the breakdown of photosynthesis- it is the honeydew that eventually kills the tree, so just drowning the pest in soapy water is not treating the problem they cause.
For a potted tree use a soft cloth and soapy water to scrub off honeydew and remove all pests from the foliage and branches and treat the tree once it is clean with neem oil or horticultural oil. Use a toothbrush in hard to reach areas.
Choosing Insect Pest Treatments Safer makes an aerosol product with Safer Soap and pyrethrin (a chrysanthemum derivative). Oils and soaps are available in nurseries or garden centers. With any treatment you use, spray the underside of the leaves as well, following the manufacturer's recommendations. Do not use stronger solutions! Repeat as needed to treat insects newly emerging from eggs. It is not advisable to spray when it is above 90°F or below 40°F, or if it is windy.
Systemic Insecticides Particularly on plants that produce edible fruit, it is important to use all insecticides cautiously and sparingly. Try to avoid systemic insecticides, since they are moved throughout the plant, and residues may occur in the fruit. Honeydew A sticky substance secreted and sprayed by pests as they feed on plant sap. These pests sharp mouth-part penetrates the tissue of the tree and spray honeydew To monitor for pests, look on the underside of the leaves, on stems and in notches of branches. Distorted leaves maybe the first sign of a pest infestation.
Sticky/Oozing Trunk Older trees may be afflicted by brown rot gummosis at the base of the trunk, caused by a soil fungus called Phytophthera. Typically, you will notice a sticky substance coming out of the tree's trunk. Weed eater and rodent damage can lead to gummy bark secretions. Keep the base of the trunk dry, and clear away any soil, mulch, grass, or weeds that might be holding moisture at the base. Trim away infected areas with a sharp (clean) knife, use tree seal to cover the wound and monitor for recurrence. Remove decayed bark to a point where no discoloration is visible. If water hits the trunk from sprinklers, that can trigger the fungus as well. Make sure water does not stand in a basin around the trunk during winter rains or after irrigating. Be sure to always clean pruners with alcohol or another antiseptic cleaner between uses to prevent disease spread among trees. White Speckled Leaves If the leaves on your tree are turning white, or if you see white or yellow 'polka dots,' your tree may have spider mites. The dots are usually the size of a pin head that can spread to give the leaves a whitish look. Spider mites suck the juices from leaf cells, causing leaves to bleach out. Spider mites can be controlled with soap and oil sprays, if the problem is discovered early. A very effective product for spider mite and other sucking insect control is Organic Orange TKO. This multi-purpose organic cleaner, used at the most dilute rate, will knock down mites and kill eggs. Be sure to monitor weekly to be ready for any pest recurrence. You may need to spray about every 10 days for three weeks to kill newly hatching eggs. Removal of the honeydew is essential
Helpful Insects Spiders, lady beetles, lacewings, are some of the beneficial you may see around citrus trees outdoors. You can sometimes buy beneficial organisms, such as lady beetles at local nurseries.
To deterime what pest is on the tree and more prevention and treatment ideas you can look here- https://lemoncitrustree.com/store/pest-disease
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