Citrus cutworms are the most likely culprit. Does the damage look fresh or does it look like the fruit has had time to develop a scar? Citrus cutworms feed on the rind of developing fruit, which leaves scars when the fruit eventually matures. They are also known to eat only some of each fruit before moving on to the next, which is why you see damaged fruits throughout your tree. The good news is that their damage should not have affected the quality of the inside of the fruit, so you can still use them. Cut off the affected areas, if you like.
Citrus cutworms do their damage from late spring to early summer. In spring, you can apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to your tree to help keep them at bay. Bt is non-toxic to humans and must be ingested by insects to be effective, meaning pollinators like bees and butterflies are not harmed.
Citrus cutworms are the most likely culprit. Does the damage look fresh or does it look like the fruit has had time to develop a scar? Citrus cutworms feed on the rind of developing fruit, which leaves scars when the fruit eventually matures. They are also known to eat only some of each fruit before moving on to the next, which is why you see damaged fruits throughout your tree. The good news is that their damage should not have affected the quality of the inside of the fruit, so you can still use them. Cut off the affected areas, if you like.
Citrus cutworms do their damage from late spring to early summer. In spring, you can apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) to your tree to help keep them at bay. Bt is non-toxic to humans and must be ingested by insects to be effective, meaning pollinators like bees and butterflies are not harmed.