Giant Swallowtail Butterfly vs Citrus Leafminer Moths

Giant Swallowtail Butterfly

The Giant Swallowtail Butterfly (Papilio cresphontes) lay their eggs on the tender young leaves of many types of citrus, including Orange, Lemon, Grapefruit and Kumquat. The Giant Swallowtail Caterpillars feeds on the leaves of the citrus tree until pupating and emerging as one of the North America’s largest butterflies.

Damaged Citrus Leaves due to the Citrus Leafminer

In the last several years the influx of the Citrus Leafminer has left little food for the larva of these large graceful butterflies. The Citrus Leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella) also lays it’s egss on citrus.  The Citrus Leafminer is a very small, light colored moth. Their newly emerged larvae immediately begin feeding on the leaves and “mine” themselves inside the top or bottom layer of the citrus leaf, causing the leaves to curl and harden making them inedible for the caterpillar of the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly.

Please don’t spray citrus trees with insecticides, instead use Blue Sticky Traps or Citrus Leafminer Pheromone Traps which attract the male citrus Leafminer and help to reduce the population and reproduction of these pests.

Protect the tender new growth of your citrus tree for the Giant Swallowtail Butterfly and help create a friendlier environment for the these lovely butterflies!

For more information on ecologically sound pest management visit the University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) web site.