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Here is a list of the most common summer tree pests and how to protect your garden trees from them
Trees and plants are usually covered with insects of all shapes and sizes. As a result, it can be challenging to know if a particular insect is harmless or a pest. Read more about the five common summer tree pests that can harm your trees.
Fall Webworm
- This pest is native to North America and is also found in some parts of Mexico and Canada. It is called a webworm because it creates webbed nests on the branches of hardwood trees spanning from summer until early fall during its larval stage. It is a famous tree pest that can wreak havoc on your trees if left unchecked. It is recommended to hire a tree pruning service provider to prune the affected branches to prevent the spread of the disease caused by Fall Webworm.
Fall webworms create extensive web-like nests on trees and can defoliate them, causing permanent damage. These pests are usually found in gardens, parks, and urban settings. If you notice a fall webworm nest in its early stages, you can get rid of this pest yourself.
- You can poke a hole in its nest using a stick or twig. This will allow its natural predators to take care of it. Suppose your trees get affected by Fall webworms every year. You can grow flowers or plants around the tree to keep the pests away from it.
Forest Tent Caterpillar
- This moth is originally from North America. They are mostly found in eastern parts of these countries. They lay eggs together on a silky sheet when they molt. They are easily distinguishable from other caterpillars and moths.
Forest Tent Caterpillar prefers oak, aspen, sugar maple, tupelo, and sweet gum trees to lay their eggs. They lay their eggs in a sticky substance called spumaline, which prevents the eggs from freezing or being damaged. Sometimes, the entire tree will be covered by their silky sheets and be completely devoid of leaves. If care is not taken, the tree might not recover from this pest and eventually die.
Nantucket Pine Tip Moth
- This pest is also known as Rhyacionia frustrana. It is found all over the USA and in countries such as Mexico, Cuba, Honduras, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic. It is one of the most invasive pest species and can wreak havoc on pine trees. Its larvae feed on Pinus cubensis, Pinus contorta, Pinus ponderosa, Pinus virginiana, etc.
When the larvae are young, they will feed on the seedling of the young plant and later make their way into the shoot tips and buds. These pests are responsible for tree mortality and deformation. There are very few options when it comes to their extermination. Although not recommended but the use of chemical insecticides can help you get rid of them from your trees.
Balsam Wooly Adelgid
- Balsam Wooly Adelgid is a wingless insect known to infect and kill fir trees. They originated from Europe during the 1900s and have been infesting Fraser fir and Balsam fir trees ever since. However, since they are not native to the USA, the fir trees have not evolved to develop their defense mechanism against this pest.
This pest will lay close to a hundred eggs each season and continue for about three seasons. The result is an out-of-control population of pests that will damage and destroy your trees.
- They attack the tree’s bark, especially in the fissures. They release certain chemicals from their saliva, which results in water stress in the trees and their eventual demise. They usually appear as small white dots across the tree’s branches and trunk. Unfortunately, the only way to get rid of this pest is by a chemical insecticide.
Aphids
- Aphids are sap-sucking tiny insects, more commonly known as blackflies and greenflies. They are among the most invasive pests and affect cultivated plants in temperate climate regions. In addition to feeding on the plant’s sap, they also act as transmitters of plant diseases, especially viruses. These five warning signs will help you determine if your tree is diseased or not.
Aphids reproduce asexually; therefore, it is difficult to control their population. They have very few natural predators, although they can be repelled using garlic, chives, catnip, and an alcohol solution spray.
- Sometimes a pest infestation can be controlled and eliminated by pruning the affected branches of the tree. If you are unsure whether your tree has been infested with a pest, then get in touch with American Tree Experts Inc today. Call us at 973-774-6091 today and let us help you with our wide range of services.