Many species of phylloxera are pecan pests, but just the pecan phylloxera creates financial damage in a specific period. The southern pecan leaf phylloxera as well as the pecan leaf phylloxera feed mainly on the foliage. The pecan phylloxera infects the foliage, fruit, and shoots and therefore is the most destructive.
The pecan phylloxera is an aphid-looking, little insect that is never seen. Though, the galls it develops are noticeable and prominent. Serious infestations create weak, malformed shoots that ultimately die.
The pecan phylloxera hibernates as eggs in the dead body of an adult female, which is in protected parts on pecan tree branches. Right after budbreak, the eggs hatch and the little insects travel to leaf tissue or opened buds to feed on increasing new growth.
Stem mothers are the ones that come from the hibernating eggs. Eating by the stem mothers encourages the growth of galls, which surround the stem mother in a couple of days. In the gall, the stem mother grows old, lays her eggs and perishes. The stem mothers’ laid eggs emerge within the gall, and these pests feed in the gall until they become old.
The nymphs and adults are 1/8 inch, little, the color of cream, and has soft skin. They look like aphids minus the cornicles. You'll want a hand lens to see and detect them.
Because the galls are easily seen, pecan phylloxera plagues typically look worse than they are.
Only when galls appear on vast numbers of nuts or shoots should you think about using insecticides. Time management of your pest control applications is crucial, and you must aim insecticide applications in the direction of the stem mothers. Apply budbreak sprays to the new growth. When the galls appear, it is too late to manage pecan phylloxera.
Typically, only the trees that were affected the previous year will require treatment, not the whole orchard. Certain grafted varieties and native trees within an orchard get more seriously infested than other plants. Getting tree removal service or spraying can stop monetary infestations from expanding all over the whole orchard.
The pine needle scale is the most well-known armored scale found on conifers in North America. The white, oyster shell-shaped scales can cover needles, creating plant discoloration to needle and limb death. These pests like pines, particularly mugho and Scotch. However, it can infest other firs, Douglas-fir, pines, and spruces.
How Pine Needle Scale Damage Trees
Substantial infestations of pine needle scales eliminate significant amounts of plant juices resulting in discolored needles. From a distance, trees look silvery or frosted. If any outbreaks continue, limbs and twigs could die and will need to be trimmed out.
Life Cycle and Description
This scale stays on the needles of its host and develops shell-shaped, white wax covers. These covers are around 1/8 of an inch when the scales are completely grown.
There is a yellowish spot, the exuvim, on the little end. The male scales are typically slender and smaller. This scale overwinters as deep-red colored eggs are safe under the female's old armor. The eggs hatch in the spring into flat, tiny nymphs known as crawlers.
These crawlers go to new places on the tree to find the right needles on which to feed. These clumsy crawlers usually drop from the trees and could be blown onto trees close by. Once on an appropriate needle, the crawler attaches its mouth and starts to develop new armor. After a couple of weeks, the nymph sheds under the armor and continues to grow in size for about 21 days.
This scale usually is spread by crawlers going from tree to tree. Spread is also swifter when mature trees start to touch branches. Also, scale crawlers could spread with animals or birds which brush or roost against trees with active crawlers. Early discovery will stop the spread and lessen the need for extensive spraying. Using horticultural oil sprays along with insecticides or insecticidal soaps are even more effective.
The pine needle scales are usually killed by the pesticides used for other insect pests. Close monitoring of the parasites and using a pesticide can be successful. It is best to get a professional tree care expert to do the work.
Elms once lined the streets of many towns and cities. In the 30's, Dutch elm disease almost completely destroyed these lovelies. But they are making a huge comeback, thanks in part to the creation of resistant types. Elm tree diseases still have a significant role in the life of a tree and thwart their care. Anyone with an elm in their outdoor space must recognize common elm tree issues so they can promptly handle them.
Elm Trees Diseases
Many elm tree leaf diseases create defoliation and discoloration. When the leaves fall, the spots have often grouped, and other discolorations have established, making it difficult to differentiate without testing.
Elm tree diseases that affect the leaves are due to fungi, however elm leaf scorch, due to a bacterium, is slightly different. With this disease, the vein bundles in the leaves get blocked so that water can’t travel in the leaf. This makes the leaf appear scorched.
The most destructive elm tree diseases are elm phloem necrosis and Dutch elm disease. Dutch elm disease is due to a bacteria spread by beetles. White-banded leafhoppers disperse the microscopic bacterium that creates elm phloem disease.
Elm Trees Disease Treatments
Once elm tree leaf diseases get hold, there is no real treatment. Burn and rake leaves to stop the development of the diseases. If you have issues with leaf diseases, try applying an anti-fungal spray in the early part of the next year. This may help stop the disease.
There is also no cure for elm phloem or Dutch elm disease. Trees contaminated with Dutch elm disease sometimes react to pruning. This is a treatment that prolongs the life of the tree for many years if caught early and done correctly. It’s best to employ a certified arborist for the work. Trees infected with elm phloem necrosis must be cut down immediately.
Since there is no simple cure, it is vital to know how to safeguard your elm trees from any disease. You should watch for the bugs that spread elm tree diseases and begin a control program immediately.
Black knot fungus has the potential to contaminate Mayday trees, Chokecherry trees, and any other tree in the Prunus family. Though black knot fungus infects mostly the plant species named Prunus, it is still worth your attention because it can significantly alter the look of these trees and if it spreads, black knot fungus can kill a tree.
It is known by a group of thick black masses that develop along the tree branches. This fungal condition is usually seen on cherry trees, but it is not limited to only this tree type.
What Damage is Black Knot Fungus?
Although black knot fungus is not always deadly, it can spread and grow all through your trees. It will destroy your trees' health and its value.
When cherry trees are contaminated with black knot fungus, they can live for several years, yet they won’t be as visually pleasing as your other trees. The last thing you want is to have a diseased, sickly looking tree in your outdoor living space.
How to Deal with Black Knot Fungus
Put forth the effort and put in the necessary time to eliminate the branches that have been infested with black knot fungus. Be sure to accurately sanitize your pruning tools to stop how much of the fungus is transported between your trees. Do a precise pruning, and you will boost the tree’s vitality and visual appeal.
Prune the infested branches about two to four inches under every knot. Then take the diseased branches to the nearest landfill. Black knot fungus replicates in the springtime so don’t prune during this time.
Only prune the trees when they are dormant. Preferably, you will prune them in the late winter months when the knot-like lumps can be easily detected. If you were to wait until the springtime to prune the branches, you would discover that the disease is very active and transportable via the spores.
Contact Tree Contractors
If you have any question about limbs and trees that have been infested with black knot fungus, contact a tree contractor for assistance. A tree specialist is thoroughly educated in a host of pruning methods such as black knot fungus removal.
We at York Tree service want to provide you with helpful tips and information about services your trees. Contact us if you need tree service at your property.