#  >  > Living And Legal Affairs In Thailand >  >  > Farming & Gardening In Thailand >  >  Mango leaf cutter?

## Pragmatic

Anyone know the name of the insect that cleanly cuts/chews off newly produced Mango leaves? Whatever does it just lets the cut section fall on the ground.

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## Troy

It could be the Mango leaf-cutting weevil: mango leaf-cutting weevil (Deporaus marginatus)



The link also provides information on how to control them.

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## Pragmatic

Thanks Troy, now I can perhaps get rid of them.

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## Slick

Dayum son thats some good looking grass you got there. I need to keep up on the watering & cutting & edging on mine ffs. 

Thats that thick blade malay grass right?

Assuming thats a Thailand pic.

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## Pragmatic

I am in Ting Tong Land and fcuk knows what type of grass it is. I had no real gardening experiences when we had the house built about 11+ years ago. I spoke with a poster who lived in the same village. His name was/is 'Tsicar'. He told me to overlay the volcanic gravel type soil they have around here with 100mm of soil from the rice fields, nowhere else. Then see what grows. Then before weeds etc get too big just cut everything back and keep doing so. That I did. Eventually the grass, which gets thicker by cutting, gets more and more with the weeds getting less and less. After about a year or so you get a lawn, over 1 Rai, such as I have. Best machine to get is one with a 'mulcher'. That puts the chopped up grass back into lawn ie a fertilizer.
When the grass stops growing in November I leave the garden to the elements and it basically disappears/dies until the rains come in April/May. I then spray a broad-leaf weed killer making it easier for the grass to get a better start. And that is how I get my grass.
This pic below is another part of my garden where I planted Mango trees  about a year ago. 
To cut down on my grass cutting duties, I cut about every 5th day in the rain season, I spray grass killer on the perimeter of the lawn against the walls. It means I don't have to strim the edges. 
I hope that answers you question?


I always use the shortest cut setting on my mower.

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## BarnacleBill

We have a number 'exotic' birds, in a number of individual cages.  We recently built a large aviary to contain them all.  It was built around a mango tree - we thought the birds would enjoy jumping around the branches.  However, amongst this birds were a couple of parakeets, who found great delight in stripping all the leaves off the mango tree.  Now all they have is bare branches!  Might be birds!

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## Pragmatic

The leaves aren't stripped off. They're always 'surgically' cut, 90 Deg to the leaf.

Definitely 
*Mango leaf cutting weevil*

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## cando

That's a pornmovie mate!  :cmn: 

I bought something from Bayer against those, works good but have to spray on new leaves every time. They can totally strip all new leaves, not only on mango but also other fruittree's.

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## HuangLao

> The leaves aren't stripped off. They're always 'surgically' cut, 90 Deg to the leaf.
> 
> Definitely 
> *Mango leaf cutting weevil*



Prag, I believe this weevil will only be present with saplings and younger trees where the new growth is more consistently tender. 

In time, mot daeng become permanent residents and protectors of mangoes within their third or fourth year - where naturally, one won't find other pests.

If you can wait it out [without using pesticides] and allow nature to cycle it's course, you might be pleased.  

This critter is not terribly destructive in the long-run and does not present itself exclusively to mangoes......as they move on to other ventures.

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## Pragmatic

^

Jeff you are exactly correct. My mango trees are now just beginning to burst into life with flowers and new leaf form. I did notice that it is only the younger trees that get attacked by the 'leaf cutter'.  I also have a hedge and that gets attacked every year. For that I have to spray when infestation occurs. I will take your advice and resist spraying my young trees. Thanks.

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## VocalNeal

If you have a choice always pick the lesser of the two weevils

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