Identifying Caterpillar-Like Pests on Meyer Lemon: Bt and Hand Removal

Meyer lemon leaves yellow. Owner picks off firm, green/yellow, 1/4-inch "caterpillars" that look like stem growth. Neem oil didn't work.

The bug

Photo unclear. Could be caterpillars, scale crawlers, or other larvae.

If few: hand-pick and squash.
If many: Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt / Dipel) – bacterial spray for caterpillars. Safe, organic.
Take samples to local nursery for precise ID.

Accurate ID ensures correct treatment.

Plant Diseases: Why Your Meyer Lemon Tree Has Giant Leaves and No Flowers; Meyer Lemon Leaf Curl, Freeze Protection, and Neem Oil Use; Dwarf Lemon Sticky Residue: Scale or Aphid Honeydew Solution; Indoor Lemon Tree Honeydew in Ireland: Scale/Aphid Management with Neem Oil; Indoor Dwarf Meyer Lemon Spider Mites: Neem Oil as Miticide Solution; Lemon Tree from Seed: No Fruit, Leaf Drop, Webbing; Lemon Tree Mealybugs and Ants: Organic Neem Oil Solution; Meyer Lemon Immediate Fruit Yellowing: Post-Bloom Fruit Drop; White Powder Under Lemon Leaves: Early Powdery Mildew or Something Else?; Pruning and Fruiting a Potted Lemon Tree

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