Trees are a vital component of our natural environment as they provide us benefits like timber, food, soil preservation, and wildlife habitat. They are also called the lungs of our cities and our guardians against flooding. However, they are often subject to a large number of pests that thrive on these trees and cause severe damages. It is crucial to identify destructive pests right from the beginning and get rid of them before it’s too late.
Here is a list of five tree pests that you should avoid:
#1 Long-horned beetles
Long-horned beetles have antennae that are longer than the length of their bodies. Their bodies are cylindrical, and they grow to be between 3/8 and 1 inch in length. Adult female long-horned beetles lay eggs about the size of a rice grain inside the cracks of wood or bark. One female can lay eggs at multiple sites, with the possibility of a single beetle laying up to 100 eggs. The larvae feed on the wood, move to the wood's surface, and come out as an adult. The adults leave the wood through an exit hole about 1/8 to 3/8 of an inch in diameter.
#2 Forest tent caterpillar
The forest tent caterpillar is found throughout the United States and Canada. The pest does not make a true tent; however, it forms a silken sheet on the surface of branches where they gather. They travel in groups and create silk trails to move easily over branches. The preferred host trees of these moths include sugar maples, elms, willow, ash, oaks, birch, cherry, Aspen, Tupelo, cottonwood, and basswood. The larvae of this caterpillar emerge in the spring and feed on fresh leaves for two months. They spend around a month as adults, lay eggs and die. The infestation causes twigs and branches to die.
#3 Southern pine beetle
Southern pine beetle lives on the inner bark of pine trees. The beetle is red-brown to black in color, and is only 2-4 mm in length, around the size of a grain of rice. It bores a hole in the bark and lays eggs. Upon hatching, the larvae chew the wood around the hole. After growing enough, the grub pupates and comes out as an adult. The signs of infestations include S-shaped tunnels under the bark and tiny holes on the exterior of the bark. The beetle starves the tree by sucking too much of the needed water and nutrients. The sign of infestation becomes visible when the crown of the tree turns yellowish and finally, brown.
#4 Emerald Ash Borer
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a wood-boring pest of ash trees. From Maine to Colorado, the EAB has been chewing through trees for about two decades. EAB is very colorful in its appearance and is smaller than a dime in size. Female EAB lays eggs from mid June to August between the layers of outer bark and in cracks. The larvae bore into the ash tree and feed on phloem, a thin layer of tissue beneath the outer bark that carries nutrients throughout the tree. The galleries left by the larvae are typically S-shaped.
#5 Spruce Budworm
It is a native forest insect responsible for defoliating and/or killing spruce and fir forests in the eastern U.S. The budworms lay their eggs on the buds of flowering plants. After the hatching of eggs, the larvae start boring into the bud's end, where they will devour the blossom from the inside. Budworm larvae hatch by the thousands and can consume a tree’s entire new growth. A budworm outbreak can be easily detected by the dead branches on spruce and fir trees.
About Seacoast Tree Care
If you are looking for certified arborists to take care of your tree removal needs, Seacoast Tree Care is your one-stop destination. We offer a complete range of tree care and removal services in New Hampshire, Maine, and Massachusetts. We are experts in tree pruning, cabling, fertilizing, preservation, pest control, and root collar excavation.
To get information, call us at 603-431-0101 or 978-225-6644, or email us at info@seacoasttreecare.com.
To get information, call us at 603-431-0101 or 978-225-6644, or email us at info@seacoasttreecare.com.
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