Bugs seem to love leaves of citrus plants too much.

My pomelo , orange and yellow lemon leafes keep getting eaten.

Sometimes I can catch green 5 cm caterpillars , sometimes 1 cm black ones,

often I can't see who's eating them , usually at night.

What can I use here in Thailand that is not to toxic to spray on the leafes ?

I don't want it in the sand or get on pet's fur.

My Java apple plants get damaged by locusts but haven't seen them on

the citrus plants.

We get around 400-500 big and juicy lemons from one single lemon tree every year.
It has been infested with weaver ants since we planted the tree 8 years ago.

From what I understand the weaver ants protect the tree and aphids against any predators. They "farm" the aphids and collect honeydew.
It is still a pest to the tree, but our tree is thriving. Dark green and lush leaves all over + a healthy production of lemon.
So, you could try to introduce some weaver ants to your trees?

Another bonus is that any Thais living together with you will most likely begin to harvest the lower nests for ant eggs every 2-3 months.
The weaver ants don't bite very hard.

On 7/13/2026 at 12:35 PM, FlorC said:

What can I use here in Thailand that is not to toxic to spray on the leafes ?

Same thing you are doing walking around in the morning looking for caterpillars then drowning them.

Also you could plant "traps" in other areas away from the citrus trees for distraction

Also plant more plants interspersed in the trees the caterpillars hate like basil, cilantro, rosemary, garlic etc

I noticed butterfly pea is immune, must have some chemical in the leaves the insects hate.

Many plants can help you

Chemicals will only hurt you

You can spray natural things too

Organic baby soap

Soybean oil

Essential oil like peppermint clove cinnamon lemon grass

Insects hate that it clogs up their skin which they breathe through

Gotta rotate naturals and reapply every day or as needed often

Then weekly for maintenance

It's called IPM

Do some research

Edited July 15Jul 15 by SiSePuede419
Integrated Pest Management

1 hour ago, THEN said:

We get around 400-500 big and juicy lemons from one single lemon tree every year.
It has been infested with weaver ants since we planted the tree 8 years ago.

From what I understand the weaver ants protect the tree and aphids against any predators. They "farm" the aphids and collect honeydew.
It is still a pest to the tree, but our tree is thriving. Dark green and lush leaves all over + a healthy production of lemon.
So, you could try to introduce some weaver ants to your trees?

Another bonus is that any Thais living together with you will most likely begin to harvest the lower nests for ant eggs every 2-3 months.
The weaver ants don't bite very hard.

Where do you get weaver ants ?

43 minutes ago, SiSePuede419 said:

Same thing you are doing walking around in the morning looking for caterpillars then drowning them.

Also you could plant "traps" in other areas away from the citrus trees for distraction

Also plant more plants interspersed in the trees the caterpillars hate like basil, cilantro, rosemary, garlic etc

I noticed butterfly pea is immune, must have some chemical in the leaves the insects hate.

Many plants can help you

Chemicals will only hurt you

You can spray natural things too

Organic baby soap

Soybean oil

Essential oil like peppermint clove cinnamon lemon grass

Insects hate that it clogs up their skin which they breathe through

Gotta rotate naturals and reapply every day or as needed often

Then weekly for maintenance

It's called IPM

Do some research

Yeah , do some research...

That is why I ask on a Thai forum,

specifically people here in Thailand for a product.

Anyone tried neem oil ?

Not cheap.