Tree Bugs & Shrub Pest Control Services
For healthy trees and shrubs, the best defense is a strong pest control system. There's a balance that goes into treating trees and shrubs. Certain microorganisms need to exist to help plants and yet there are insects and pests that need to be treated as they can adversely affect the growth of trees and shrubs. When a tree or shrub is healthy, it can likely defend itself against insects and pests, but if it's been stressed, it can find itself exposed to harmful attacks.
Treating Trees and Shrubs
At Belles Tree Service, we try to maintain a balance. In finding the proper balance to protect the ecosystem and treat trees and shrubs for pest management, we use minimally invasive methods and minimize chemical usage when possible. We can at times use alternative options and naturally derived products to address targeted insect and pest outbreaks. If you need pest control, tree insect control, or shrub insect control, we can help.
With our team of ISA Certified Arborists, we perform inspections on trees and shrubs to help outline pest treatment plans and preventative measures. If we have to use chemical agents, we try to focus on the targeted area to minimize stress on the environment and prevent harm to people and pets. Our goal is to not disrupt the sensitive ecosystem, but to contribute in positive ways to the health and overall vitality of trees and shrubs.
Common Pests and Insects
When we inspect trees and shrubs, we know the common pests and insects to look for and by treating the trees and shrubs early. This can minimize the damage that pest infestations may leave behind.
There are common pests and insects that damage trees and shrubs. These include:
Ambrosia Beetles: These pesky beetles are found in different parts of the world. As wood boring insects, they are named after a fungus and they attack weak trees. As they add stress to the trees, they can damage them enough to kill them. Trees can be treated, but it will depend on the level of damage to help with the tree's recovery.
Aphids: Tiny insects that eat leaves, stems and buds, aphids can be very destructive. They have the ability to extract a plant's fluids and with over 4,000 types, they affect trees, plants, fruit and vegetables. Tell-tale signs include the sooty mold they leave behind.
Azalea Lace Bugs: Originating in Japan, lace bugs have over 170 species in the United States. They generally only feed on one particular type of plant and are commonly found attacking Azaleas.
Boxwood Leafminer: This particular pest looks like a small orange fly or mosquito. They tend to hover around boxwood plants and can cause a great deal of damage as they dig through leaves. These pests can cause a lot of damage to the American Boxwood tree, but it does not affect the other variations and these include the Asian and English versions of Boxwood trees.
Cankerworms: Cankerworms are also known as inchworms or spanworms. They are actually moths that can cause severe damage as they eat leaves and their larvae feed on trees. They are commonly found in Willow Oaks in the south.
Eastern Tent Caterpillar: This is a form of moth that is commonly found in parts of the Eastern United States. These destructive caterpillars build nests that have a tent shape to them and they affect the branches of trees they nest in. They target plum, crab apple, cherry and apple trees.
Emerald Ash Borer: A wood boring beetle that is found in the United States, ash borers are responsible for killing millions of Ash trees in North America. Trees must be treated to protect them from further infestations of Emerald Ash Borers as they have been found all over the eastcoast and parts of Pennsylvania as close as Montgomery County. Here is what you need to know to PROTECT YOUR ASH TREES.
Evergreen Bagworms: This is a moth with clear wings. It's actually the larvae that causes the most damage. Found in the southeast, there are several species and they feed on many types of trees including the Cypress and various types of coniferous evergreens.
Fall Webworm: Native to North America, the Fall Webworm can be found attacking over 100 different types of shrubs and trees including hardwood trees (deciduous versions). They build small nests at the end of branches to protect themselves from wasps and birds.
Japanese Beetles: Originally from Japan, the Japanese Beetle is known for its copper and green colors. It can be very destructive to leaves and is found commonly in North America in the south. With pest control management systems in place in Japan, it isn't as destructive there.
Leafhoppers: Leafhoppers can be very destructive as they spread bacteria (commonly Bacterial Leaf Scorch) and different types of viruses from one plant to the next. They eat conifers, broad-leafed woody plants, herbaceous and vascular plants. They have been known to cause additional damage from depositing their eggs into the plant's tissue which increases the level of injury.
Mites: Mites feed on a variety of plants and spider mites are in the spider family. With over 1,200 varieties, they are commonly found in the southeast. Spider mites can cause severe damage if not treated. They can also increase at an alarming rate and cause a lot of damage.
Orange-striped Oakworm: This destructive caterpillar can be found damaging oak trees and is commonly found in North America. They may also be found eating maple trees and hickory trees.
Peachtree Borer: These wasp-like insects are really moths. They are found in the United States and can be seen in parts of North Carolina. Look for them on peach trees and other fruit trees including apricot, plum, and cherry trees.
Pine Bark beetles: Beetles can cause a lot of damage to the bark of pine trees. A pine tree can die if not treated as beetle infestations can be very damaging.
Scale Insects: These insects can have scales or come in the soft variety. With straw-like attachments in their mouths, they suck the nourishment from leaves and stems causing a great deal of damage.
Weevils: These damaging bugs eat the roots of plants when the weevil is in the larvae stage. Adult weevils will feed on leaves and can cause the plant to die if they reach the root systems of plants.
Whitefly: Resembling small moths, they are actually closer to a small mealy bug. They can be found in North America.
At Belles Tree Service, we have preventative options for treating trees and shrubs and have pest control management services to help protect against harmful insect infestations. If you find that you have insect and pest problems and you live in the Lehigh Valley or surrounding areas, we can help you with a pest control plan.