Diaprepes root weevil.

I wouldn't worry too much though, damage is mostly cosmetic. They also really like Lychees.

Here is a link that might be useful: Diaprepes root weevil

Squam is correct, it's a root weevil. You can inspect your trees, pick them off and squish them. I don't think Sevin spray will work but you can try it. Hopefully there aren't many and they don't eat much :)

Sri Lanka Weevil aka Asian Grey weevil (Myllocerus undecimpustulatus undatus Marshall)

Here is a link that might be useful: http://lee.ifas.ufl.edu/Hort/UsefulLawnandGardenResources/SriLankaWeevilupdate2008.pdf

I think that may actually be the little leaf notcher (aka Artipus floridanus). IFAS also has a pest alert on this little bugger. I was reading that they are unable to fly and simply climb up the trunks. So you could possibly use this to your advantage. Also, you could hit them at the larval stage with a grub killer. Or, you could just ignore it altogether (that's what I do :-). Fortunately they are said to prefer to feed on weed (grass) roots, so they don't damage the tree roots like the other weevil (more info here).

Jeff

Err.. wrong scientific name on the "little leaf notcher". It should be "Myllocerus undecimpustulatus".

Jeff

Looks like both.. The top one doesnt have the yellow head and his eyes are more round. The other guy looks more like he's from Sri Lanka, eyes not so round and olive skin in the face.... All kidding aside!

Jeff - which one are you thing it is ?

I don't believe it is the Diaprepes Root Weevil.

Since it is a chewer of leaves, Sevin should work.

Actually after looking at Jeff's link it does look like a leaf notcher.

I tell ya, it looks like both to me.. The Floridanus and Marshall.

Here is a link that might be useful: Floridanus and Marshall Comparison

It looks like the Sri Lankan one to me.

The best solution (if you can do it) is to get rid of the grass, which not only takes away the food source of the grubs but also frees up nutrient resources that would have been consumed by the grass. Moreover, you can lay down heavy layers of (free) mulch which then attracts beneficial creatures (worms, millipedes, etc) and adds to the quality of the soil.

The other option is to use a grub control product, but you'd need to do some research; there is one grub control product made by Bayer that was a bit more benign than the rest (forget the name of the active ingredient). I'm also not sure how it would affect the worm populations...

Sevin would likely kill them, but it does have a couple of drawbacks. For one, it nukes all other living creatures in the surrounding soil (leaf runoff). It also may not stay long on the leaves with this heavy rain we have and would only provide temporary relief.

Personally, I have a "dual-pronged" approach to these types of critters (cuban may beetle included): If I can control the situation by killing off the grass, then I take that approach. Otherwise, I invoke the Ignore Process (ie, I ignore it :-). If the Ignore Process doesn't work and it becomes so much of a problem that it has a detrimental impact on the tree, then I yank the tree and replace with something that can deal with the environment.

In the case of the mango, it's totally cosmetic. So, my advice is to .. just leave it alone :-).

Jeff

Thanks for the feedback and the links! I see that several kinds look very similar.
It sounds like they should not cause major damage, so I'll rely on crushing the ones I see, rather than trying heavy-duty chemicals.

Wow. Been looking for an ID for those exact beetles. Great info guys n gals. About two years ago, those same specie of beetles have been eating my 3yrs old Julie mango tree leaves (Pembroke Pines, SoFla). They particularly like the young leaves and havent touched my similairly aged Nam Doc Mai. The number were controllabled with manual removal (death by tweezers). They are still around on my front yard oak tree but rarely in the back. I'm hoping regular neem oil leaf spray treatment would take care of this pest as well.

Hi mangomandan,
For most leaf-eating insects I have been applying Malathion-Oil (in the late afternoons) once every two weeks and it has worked with great success. Especially on my mamey sapote which was slowly disapearing thanks to the cuban may beetles.

Neem is a safe organic insect control, wont harm beneficial critters.

Neem is so safe, some toothpaste is made with it.

Not so effective for leaf miners, but for regular leaf eating bugs it works great.

Here is a link that might be useful: Material fact sheets ( Neem )

HAHAHAHAHA!

What type of mango tree is that btw mangomandan?

In the mortal words of harry, it is the rare green leafed, yellow veined variety :)

^LOL

TnTRobbie, it is a Coconut Cream tree. A beautiful speciman when I planted it a couple months ago. Now I want it to grow big and strong really really fast.

tropicalgrower89, thanks for the laugh! Actually I think this bug might have been the inspiration for the original smiley face.....another reason to despise it.

Your welcome. :-) Anytime I start having bug problems with my mangoes, I buy the Sevin concentrated mixture. I poor the correct amount as instructed into a one gallon plastic fumigation tank, which is pressured by a hand pump, and fill the rest of the tank with water as recommended for a proper diluted mixture. I then twist the cap/pump onto the tank until it's very tight and spray the top and underside of the leaves(after pumping for pressure). It keeps all the bugs away from it, including beetles, ants, red spider mites, etc.. But, I'm not sure if it can kill or repel this bug you showed.

They are in West Boynton Beach, specifically taking a great love on the new growth on my "experimental" dwarf NDM. I have a number of other mangoes with new growth (Lemon Zest, Coconut Cream, Maha Chinook, Excalibur) but they seem to favor the NDM. I also have a Sweetheart and Hak Ip with new growth and the Hak Ip also has some bites out of the new leaves but nothing as bad as the NDM.

Jeff - I know you try and take the "leave it alone" approach but it is doing a number on the leaves of an entire new shoot....and removing the tree is not an option. It may be time for the Sevin though I really am trying to refrain.

Honestly the best method of reducing their numbers is to mulch over the grass :-). It probably sounds counter-intuitive, but most of these leaf eaters (cuban may beetles included) spend many months as grubs feeding on grass roots before emerging and feeding on tree leaves. My lychee tree in the front yard (which has grass) gets devoured by those evil little white aliens, but the lychee in the back (where there is no grass) basically has no sign of leaf damage. Also, the damage from the cuban may beetle has been drastically reduced after I got rid of the sod. Once the grass is dead, they will still linger for a year or so - you won't starting seeing a reduction in the amount of grubs for several months. I suspect they are feeding on the dying sod roots. But after about a year, you should see a drastic reduction in population.

As a short term remedy to cut back the population a little on a tree that is too young to defend itself, sevin would certainly be warranted. I really hate using it myself because shortly afterward I'll find hundreds of dead millipedes and other beneficials all over the ground :-(. And I'm also not totally sure how effective it would be, since sevin never really worked that well for controlling the cuban may beetle (in my own experience).

Jeff

Thank you for the information. I live in Davie, Fl and these little evils are trying to kill my baby dwarf : (