i have this problem since i start cultivating ficuses, this pest mutating the leaf making it close and turning the collor from green to rusty red, and the worst is they attack the newly growing leaves.
The pest what i talking about is this looks like a scorpion winged insect, black in collor and have a tube like mouthpart and the size of this pest is about 1cm in long. Can anyone help me? Hard to say but what Pest contral i aplyed is removing the infected eria.

Try washing the tree thoroughly and then use some insecticidal soap. Keep removing the heavily damaged leaves as you have been.

The insecticidal soap I use is called Earth Options by RAID.

www.google.com/products/catalog?q=insect...6Q_&ved=0CLQBEPMCMAY

I think the problem you are having is thrips. They are a common pest for ficus plants. There are hundreds of insecticides used against them. I just use oleum spray, its an oil based spray which coast the insects and foliage in a fine oil.

Here is a link to the pest if I am correct
www.flickriver.com/photos/tags/thrip/interesting/

Hey everyone.
This is a site with all kinds of remedies for pests and disease, most are natural and you can make at home inexpensively.

www.ghorganics.com/page9.html