If ever there were two things that went together, it would be trees and bugs. Countless insects make your trees their home, and most of them are harmless. However, there are certain types of insect activity around your trees that may be harmful to them. Your tree health may be in jeopardy if you observe these harmful pests making a home out of your branches.
The ones that chew
While most insects that live in your tree only see it as a home, there are some species that use it as a source of food. Chewing insects migrate to the leaves of the tree and feed on them or on the fruit that they produce. Examples of these pernicious pests include certain beetles and caterpillars. For the most part, your tree is able to survive these attacks on its leaves and fruit, but a long-term infestation can eventually kill the tree as it is unable to gather sunlight through its leaves as it is continuously defoliated.
The ones that bore
These insects may be boring, but their activities are anything but. The drastic effects that boring insects can have on your tree can be lethal. As these pests tunnel into the hardwood of the tree and lay their eggs the resulting batch of larvae continue the process until they reach the tissues of the tree that conduct water throughout its system. If this infestation is untreated, you will notice that the upper branches of the tree will fail to produce new leaves or fruit as the tree dies from the top down to the roots.
The ones that suck
Sucking insects, also known as scale insects, make their living by drawing liquid out of the leaves and twigs of your tree. They are usually immobile, forming a hard coating around themselves to protect themselves from predators as they feed. The substance that they produce during this process is not only unsightly but as it builds up it can become a home for harmful molds and fungus that contributes to illness in the tree.
Are you concerned about insect activity around your trees? The experts at Merritt’s Tree Service are here to help. Contact us to schedule an appointment for our tree care services.