Insects and Diseases
Asian Longhorn Beetle
Also known as Starry Sky Beetle, this kind of pest has been a serious threat to hardwood trees, particularly maples. Many trees in Massachusetts were infested by the Asian Long-horned Beetle. Its first discovery was in Brooklyn, New York in 1996. By 2008, it was wreaking havoc on trees in Massachusetts.
Asian Longhorn adult b Beetles are large and have a glossy black appearance. They are typically 17-40 mm long. On their smooth wing covers, there are 10 to 20 white or yellow-orange irregular spots. They have long antennas as well. Adult starry sky beetles feed on twigs, leaf veins, and leaf stalks. It will be their source of food for the next two weeks, until they mate. To make a feeding tunnel, the larvae chew through the cambium. You can only imagine the damage they can cause to your trees.
What Green Tech Tree Service Company Can Do!
Controlling Asian Longhorn Beetles is not that easy to do, especially if you lack experience in this field. The most common method is to cut down infected trees. Some areas even implement quarantine, which means that no trees will be planted near the infected host. Chemical control is another viable option for dealing with the damage caused by these pests. However, such a method requires a knowledgeable expert.
Our expert and professional team in Green Tech knows exactly how to best handle pest invasion. Contact us today and get a free quote of our tree care services!
Birch Leaf Miner
This pest is the archenemy of the birch tree. Birch Leaf Miner typically causes aesthetic damage to its host by turning the trees’ leaves brown. In the worst-case scenario, the invasion will disrupt photosynthesis due to damage in the leaves, which will eventually cause the tree to die.
During nesting, the insects burrow into the leaf tissue. They usually land in the center of the leaf. Because of the insects’ consumption, small puffy pockets or depleted tissues appear. They build a nest inside a leaf and consume more tissue. As a result, damage in this area is often severe.
What Green Tech Tree Service Company Can Do!
There is not much remedy or solution to the damage brought by birch leaf miners. One can just pick the infected leaves and compost them. Substantial infestation would need the use of pesticides or organic pest killers. Our professionals here at Green Tech effectively handle cases related to birch leaf miners. We know the frequency and the amount of treatment needed to control the insects.
Please contact us if you have birch leaf miner infestation problems. Talk with us so we can help you with your tree care troubles!
Dogwood Borer
This is one of the most damaging pests to flowering dogwood. The dogwood borer is a clear-winged moth with the body of a wasp. Adult borers are bluish-black in color with a yellow band on their second and fourth abdominal segments. Though these pests are most commonly found in flowering dogwoods, they can also be found in other trees and plants. Borers infest oak, chestnut, elm, hickory, willow, pecan, and apple trees, among others.
The dogwood borer is extremely damaging because of the way it infests trees. A single borer can even kill a tree in a single year. Larvae enter through the calloused or wounds of a bark. The feeding is confined to the inner cambium and bark. The successive infestations combined with the activities of the larvae cause death to the tree. Surprisingly, trees grown in areas with plenty of sunlight are more infested than those grown in shaded areas.
What Green Tech Tree Service Company Can Do!
In order to control the dogwood borer, inspect the trees during their nursery period. Loose or wet areas of the bark, as well as other physical damage to that area, can indicate infestation. Spraying the trunk and lower limbs helps prevent further damage to the tree. Insecticides should be applied between late April and mid-July. Pruning may also be needed to separate infected wood.
Treating dogwood borer infestation needs professional care. Green Tech has a highly skilled team of professional arborists who have extensive experience with tree care and maintenance. Call us now and tell us about your concerns!
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) is a small insect related to aphids. This insect feeds on saps with its piercing-sucking mouth. It is nearly 1 millimeter in diameter, and has a flat and oval shape. Its color is black with a white ring around them.
HWA is unique in that it is dormant during the growing season. It becomes active in the winter. This pest’s feeding style, in which it burrows deep into the tree’s tissue, is what causes the trees to be damaged. HWA also emits a toxin that damages the tree’s vascular system, eventually causing the tree to die.
What Green Tech Tree Service Company Can Do!
Like other tree pests, the best way to deal with HWA is early detection. Being aware of the warning signs and symptoms helps control of the infestation. It needs to be monitored regularly. When the infestation is discovered, some methods can be used to treat or control it. One way is through horticultural oil sprays. This is done by thoroughly applying the oil to the tree. Different rates are applied depending on the season. Insecticides are also effective, but must be applied by a professional.
Green Tech Tree is your most reliable help when it comes to dealing with HWA. Our experienced professionals in the company will help you in controlling and even eliminating these pests permanently. We work fast and only deliver quality results. Only trust your tree service care with us. Call us now!
Winter Moth
These small insects like to target oaks, maples, and apple trees. They enjoy making these trees their home and wreaking havoc on them. Winter moths also like to attack other plants such as cherry, basswood, blueberry, crabapple, ash, and white elm. They drop or balloon other plants near the infected tree. The winter moth is not a native insect to Massachusetts. It originated in Europe and was later brought to North America.
Tiny moth caterpillars chew their way to the bud scales and scrape the lower leaf tissue of plants. This is why holes appear on the leaves before they can completely expand. The young larvae will occasionally balloon to neighboring plants. Flowers and other plants that are close to the host tree suffer from Winter Moths in that manner. They feed on flowers and foliar buds, both of which are essential for fruit production. This therefore causes a decline in harvest.
What Green Tech Tree Service Company Can Do!
Preventing the hatching of winter moth eggs is the most effective way to deal with them. It is possible to do so with a horticultural oil treatment. Spraying or soil injection can be used to prevent hatching, if it is not prevented beforehand. It is also effective against caterpillars that feed on the leaves.
The best way to deal with winter moths is to identify their life stage because it allows professionals to employ proper treatment. Here at Green Tech, we take a strategic approach to dealing with Winter Moth. Talk to us so that we can provide you with the most effective solution for eliminating winter moths.
