Pest identification
What's eating my seville orange?
Aphids (Toxoptera aurantii — black citrus aphid)
Signs: Dense colonies on new shoots and flower buds; leaves curl inward; sticky honeydew coats fruit and triggers sooty mould
Control: Knock off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage natural predators such as ladybirds and hoverflies
Scale insects (soft scale, fluted scale)
Signs: Flat or ridged bumps on stems and leaf undersides; sap removal causes yellowing; honeydew deposits lead to sooty mould
Control: Prune out heavily infested wood; treat with horticultural oil at crawler stage; introduce parasitic wasps (Metaphycus helvolus) for biological control under glass
Citrus leafminer (Phyllocnistis citrella)
Signs: Silvery, winding tunnels in young leaves; leaves roll tightly; heavy attacks distort new growth flushes
Control: Remove and destroy mined leaves promptly; apply neem oil to new flush; spinosad sprays effective; natural parasitoids reduce damage over time
Caterpillars (Papilio spp. swallowtail larvae where present)
Signs: Irregular notching or complete defoliation of individual leaves; frass droppings visible below plant
Control: Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to affected foliage; garden birds help reduce numbers
Keep seville orange pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Seville Orange pests — FAQ
What is eating my seville orange?
Seville orange faces the full range of citrus pests: aphids on new growth, citrus leafminer tunnelling young leaves, and scale insects weakening stems. Outdoors in warm climates, olive fruit fly relatives and caterpillars add fruit damage. Aphids are the most frequently encountered problem in UK gardens and conservatories.
How do I get rid of aphids (toxoptera aurantii — black citrus aphid) on seville orange?
Dense colonies on new shoots and flower buds; leaves curl inward; sticky honeydew coats fruit and triggers sooty mould Knock off with a strong water jet; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage natural predators such as ladybirds and hoverflies
How do I get rid of scale insects (soft scale, fluted scale) on seville orange?
Flat or ridged bumps on stems and leaf undersides; sap removal causes yellowing; honeydew deposits lead to sooty mould Prune out heavily infested wood; treat with horticultural oil at crawler stage; introduce parasitic wasps (Metaphycus helvolus) for biological control under glass
How do I get rid of citrus leafminer (phyllocnistis citrella) on seville orange?
Silvery, winding tunnels in young leaves; leaves roll tightly; heavy attacks distort new growth flushes Remove and destroy mined leaves promptly; apply neem oil to new flush; spinosad sprays effective; natural parasitoids reduce damage over time
How do I get rid of caterpillars (papilio spp. swallowtail larvae where present) on seville orange?
Irregular notching or complete defoliation of individual leaves; frass droppings visible below plant Hand-pick caterpillars; apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to affected foliage; garden birds help reduce numbers