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What is this on my Meyer Lemon tree?

3 years ago

Hi all,

New to the forum. Just found this little guy on my Meyer Lemon (In Southern California). It doesn't look like any leaf miner I've seen before, but it leaves the very identifiable leafminer meandering trail. Is it a leaf miner or could it be a different kind of caterpillar?

Any ideas would be much appreciated. Btw, it's about 3 mm long, under a 30x hand loupe.

Thanks!

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Comments (5)

Fori
3 years ago
Might be a swallowtail--compare to Papilio cresphontes 1st instar. (They change radically through the larval stage.)
Brie Wypich
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks for the suggestion Fori.
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Brie Wypich
Original Author
3 years ago
Yep, that's a good I.D.
Fori
3 years ago
Cool! I enjoy those guys.

I remember the first citrus I ever planted was defoliated by some swallowtails. I let them have it because caterpillars! and then the birds came and I had neither butterflies nor tree. It was a tiny tree...
Brie Wypich
Original Author
3 years ago
I get it. We're cut from the same cloth...the world needs more pollinators!!

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