Featured:
Allergies
Grilling Guide
eHow Now Blog

How to Treat Orange Trees for Pests

Orange trees are popular for both their appearance and fruit. Everyone loves having freshly picked oranges on the table in the summer. But orange trees come with their own set of problems, and no one loves the ants, worms and fruit flies that might accompany an orange tree. If you notice insect or worm activity, take a couple of steps to get rid of the little crawlers. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

  • Ladybugs/lacewing moths
  • Pruning shears
  • Pesticide/horticultural oil
  • Water
  • Bird feeder
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Identify your pests. Orange trees can be attacked by ants, caterpillars, white flies and aphids. Different pests will require different pesticides. Follow the steps here for some standard pest prevention.

    • 2

      Spray your trees with the hose. Crawling pests like aphids and caterpillars, and the eggs of any pests, will be displaced. Aphids in particular will have trouble finding their way back up into the tree, and will starve.

    • 3

      Look for colonies and egg sacks in your orange tree. Aphids and white flies lay their eggs on the bottoms of leaves, which can lead to pest infestations on the tree. Prune away or remove any of these colonies to get rid of future generations of insects.

    • 4

      Prune away any damaged vegetation so that the trees don't spend time and energy trying to heal it.

    • 5

      Release lady bugs and lacewing moths. These natural predators feed on aphids, white flies and their larvae, and will act as natural controls on pest populations in the orange trees.

    • 6

      Hang a bird feeder or two in the area to draw birds into your orange trees. Birds are also natural predators of white flies, aphids and caterpillars, and will act as further controls on the pest population.

    • 7

      Spray your trees with pest-specific pesticides. Talk to your local garden center about what kind of pesticide to use for the pests you've found on your orange trees. Use horticultural oil as a natural substitute for pesticides.

Tips & Warnings

  • The best time to spray orange trees for pests is from May to October, when insects are most active.

  • Pesticides may harm or kill your beneficial insects.

Suggest item

Related Searches:

References

Comments

You May Also Like

  • Aphids on Orange Trees

    Aphids are a common orange tree pest. To control these foliage-feeding insects, it's important to recognize the damage they can do and...

  • How to Make Orange Oil Pesticide

    Pesticides are often necessary in order to keep plants and flowers from being completely destroyed. If the pests bothering your plants include...

  • Why Are the Leaves Falling Off My Orange Tree?

    Orange trees losing their leaves during the spring or summer, as opposed to the fall, have a serious health problem requiring the...

  • Green Bugs on an Orange Tree

    Many home gardeners grow citrus trees for the delicious fruit they produce. Orange trees are generally hardy, but are susceptible to infestations...

  • What to Spray Orange Trees With

    Sprays correct nutrient deficiencies, kill whiteflies and other pests, and reduce weeds around orange trees. Once citrus trees are established, in about...

  • The Types of Pests on Orange Trees

    Orange trees are subject to many different pests. These insects will affect the tree itself in some cases and damage the fruit...

  • A White Powder on Orange Trees

    Orange trees, as part of the citrus family, can be susceptible to a variety of insect and bacterial infections that attack the...

  • How to Control Aphids on a Cherry Tree

    Cherry trees have showy pink blooms that can be destroyed by pests. Among the insects that attack cherry trees is the black...

  • When to Spray Fruit Trees

    Growing trees in your landscape is a hobby that you can enjoy with lots of rewards for your efforts. We love apple,...

  • White Bugs That Eat Birch Tree Leaves

    While several types of bugs eat the leaves of birch trees, only one of them is white. The birch leafminer, or Fenusa...

  • How to Care for Orange Trees

    Originating in China, an orange tree at maturity can grow up to 30 feet in height. The fruit of the orange tree...

  • Orange Tree Pests

    The U.S. citrus fruit industry faces challenges posed by pests and diseases that are increasingly resilient to chemical applications. Orange tree pests...

  • Aphids on Cherry Trees

    Aphids on Cherry Trees. Aphids are a varied species of small, pear shaped insects with soft bodies. The insects feed on tender...

  • Orange Tree Insect Damage

    Home gardeners often grow orange trees for the juicy, sweet fruit they produce. While orange trees are generally healthy, they are susceptible...

  • Birch Trees & White Fly Infestations

    Birch trees, members of the Betula species, are deciduous trees with glossy green-toothed leaves. Different varieties of the tree may sport papery...

  • My Orange Tree Has Black Leaves

    A thin black substance -- sooty mold -- on orange tree leaves is a sign of pest infestation. Pests with piercing and...

  • Orange Tree Pests: Caterpillars

    Orange trees provide a large crop in the United States. Damage from caterpillars can cause economic losses in the form of blemished...

  • Natural Pesticides for Citrus Trees

    Natural Pesticides for Citrus Trees. Citrus trees are susceptible to a wide variety of pests. Fortunately, you do not need to rely...

  • How to Care for Orange Trees With Infestation

    Orange trees are susceptible to infestations of aphids, whiteflies, scale and citrus leaf miners, some of which can then attract ants. Preventive...

  • Orange Tree Insects

    If you are lucky enough to have an orange tree on your property, you already enjoy the bounty of fresh oranges. However,...

Related Ads

thumbnail
Featured