What’s This White, Leaf-Eating ‘Tick-Like’, ‘Beetle-Type’ Bug?

white beetle-type bug in the Fort Lauderdale area
white beetle-type bug in the Fort Lauderdale area

 

Hello,  can you identify this white tick looking bug?

It is on my lawn and a few young trees.  Located in south Florida ft Lauderdale area.

[…]it looks like they are eating the leaves…. at least something is eat the leaves but this white bug is the only thing that is visible on the tree’s leaves. thank you in advance. anthony

Do you know which bug this is? Perhaps they’ve been eating  your garden plants too? Help Anthony out and drop a comment below. Thanks!

37 thoughts on “What’s This White, Leaf-Eating ‘Tick-Like’, ‘Beetle-Type’ Bug?

    1. i took some tools i had from the garage that were in a 5 gal. pail after i took some tools out and put them on my desk i noticed something walking on my desk it was the shape of a tick but was white it looked like it had powder sugar on it i took a 12″ rule and put it over the bug and pushed down it made a crunching sound im only worried because i brought this bug into my living space
      p.s. i live in south Florida

  1. I have the same “tick like beetle type bug” eating leaves in my area near Fort Lauderdale, in Boca Raton, FL…
    What should I do?????

    1. I keep a little jar containing bleach, pinesol and water and hand pick them off. They can be tricky. I have found that in most cases if you put the little jar under them, they will drop into it. I also sometimes use a spoon to “coax” them into it. I just keep my little jar and spoon close to the tree and try to check once a day.

    2. I got these weevils originally they hatched out of mulch we got from Walmart. They have infested our fruit tree grove and become a huge problem. Zylam liquid systemic will kill them – but cant be used on fruit trees, so I’m still searching for an insecticide that I can use on my fruit trees in central Florida

  2. Oh my gosh, what are these? I live in Delray Beach Florida and these popped up and are all over my popcorn cassia and my oak tree. I have been looking everywhere trying to identify it and figure out how to get rid of it.

    1. Do they also leave a blackened area on trunk of tree and how in the world do I get rid of them??

      1. I have seen this beatal on the shrubs and trees in and around my yard. I have found them on my bonsai trees also. How do I keep them off my vegetable plants?

  3. Try entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora or Botanigard entomopathogenic fungus from Certis. Spray fungi the trees and nematodes on the ground

  4. They are called Little Notched Weevil. Most harmful to citrus trees. They last thier eggs in the ground. As the larvae hatch, they crawl up the tree and eat the leaves. Called a Pest Control company is your best bet, but it won’t be a one treatment and done option so that could get pricey. The cheap alternative is to use Orthene Tree and Ornamental Spray. The best alternative is to use Zylam Liquid Systemic. Zylam can be used to spray the tree and used to treat the soil to kill the immature larvae. It will not sterilize the eggs.

    Source: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/cg006

  5. I live in Cape Coral Fl. And I have this insect eating the leaves on my citrus trees and bougainvillea! Tried a lot of organic spraying but nothing works.

    1. I keep a little jar containing bleach, pinesol and water and hand pick them off. They can be tricky. I have found that in most cases if you put the little jar under them, they will drop into it. I also sometimes use a spoon to “coax” them into it. I just keep my little jar and spoon close to the tree and try to check once a day.

  6. You can add Fort Pierce to the list of towns

    I hand pick them off the little lemon tree and they are difficult to squash with gloves on.

    I have a nearby inga tree which now has black powder on its leaves and too tall to pick them off.

    In the past I have tried all kinds of stuff that never worked

    1. Lucy, another Ft Pierce gardener here. I have the Little Leaf Notchers on my mango tree. We had a poor crop this year and while I watered the tree and foliage, I saw the white boogers flying off. I’ve been watering heavily everday and don’t see them as much. Will be trying Orthene and/or Zylam; are these chemicals you have tried? May call a pest control or talk to one or our local garden shops. I will surely let you know what I find out.

    2. Also add Apopka, FL (central, close to Orlando). Home Depot had them on their blackberry vine and coffee plants. Carefully inspect your plants before buying, poke around the soil for eggs, I guess?

  7. I have just discovered that they are here in Wellington and seem to like (at the moment) my Hibiscus, the newer tropical kind. If I shake the shrub they fall to the ground and I try to get them, but I can see it will be a problem.

  8. Add Satellite Beach. They are on ALLLL MY TREES!! I took out all the pepper trees w a pitch fork 🍴 and kitchen scissors in 2 weeks. I had a bad week… lol. By myself. Except for the “regular” trees I couldn’t save my Nieghbor took out the chainsaw. But the ones I saved are being completely eaten by these white bugs. All That hard work. Now bugs. I just noticed holes in the leaves tonight I’m out here see them e dry where except my palms. Can’t a gal catch a break?! Oh and I have Rheumatoid arthritis plus Chiari Malformation.. but I achieved Greatness for my front yard. I can’t clean inside anymore lol. I’ve bleached cleaned the entire house during this pandemic. So I moved outside to once and for all attack and destroy the Brazilian Peppers. It was therapy and crazy. But thank you all. I’ll now have a new task while kiddies are finally at school.

  9. Anyone else .. I have a Morkie pup hes 4.6 lbs of live. My husband bought me bc I’m home alone had to stop working due to my “silent illness” but it’s ok no disability for me!! But these ugly “death caps” orange mushrooms almost killed my pup. My hubs is a Firefighter and he saved him. I never knew we had those until I became a green thumb. Seems they only come when it rains under an area w no sun or sprinkler system hits w no sun. But they are terrifying to us now. Any help w those? Thx!

  10. You can add Winter Park ( near Orlando) Fl. to the list. I just found 1 on my cabinet in my kitchen. I don’t know where it came from since I don’t have any citrus trees or hibiscus near my condo! I do have a pulmaria tree near my stair case but I haven’t seen any damage on it. Guess I have to take a better look at it!

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