tree beetle infestation Archives

What Types Of Trees In Michigan Do Beetles Infest?

There are many types of trees in Michigan, but the state is known for its variety of indigenous trees. They add beauty to the environment and serve as a source of our ecosystem. One species that stands out amongst the rest is the maple tree.

Among the various species of maple trees that are native to Michigan, the Sugar Maple tree clearly stands out. The beauty of the sugar maple entices you to want to plant one in your yard. It adds beauty instantly. But what exactly do you need to know before planting a sugar maple?

Well, the sugar maple tree, unfortunately, can become home to some common pests. Most notably, the Asian long-horned beetle. These bugs may destroy the beauty of your trees, making them appear infected. But, you don’t have to worry. There are several ways to protect your trees from beetles and diseases.

Here’s what you can do to keep them safe.

Use of Approved Pesticides to Eliminate the Asian Long-horned Beetle

Early identification is critical. If your tree is infested, you have to act right away. The female Asian longhorned beetle will typically lay a single egg underneath the bark of the tree, making it hard to trace. Nonetheless, it is possible to use pesticides to destroy the eggs before they hatch. This will allow you to effectively control the growth of the pests. At Safari Tree, we can help you protect your sugar maple trees through our pest control program.

It’s important that you spray a combination of insecticides and pesticides, to effectively kill eggs before they hatch. This combination works best during summer. It is also a great remedy to eliminate mature insects, which will reduce the possibility of the beetles laying more eggs in the future.

In addition to using an anti-desiccant spray, deep root feeding is necessary. It will provide maximum protection during winter. If the beetles have severely affected your trees, using chlorantraniliprole can be a great remedy as this method is known to paralyze the pests, thus rendering them unproductive and eventually killing them.

The Biological Methods

As a home or business owner, you’ll always want to maintain the natural beauty offered by the sugar maple tree. There are safer, more environment-friendly, and long-term methods to eradicate pests that slowly destroy your trees. Using some known biological methods, you can effectively control the spread of insects, as the efficacy of these methods has been tried and tested.

One of the most effective biological methods is the use of the Petch fungus. The method can effectively eliminate the Asian long-horned beetle in most parts of the United States. You can invite an expert to help you apply the fungus directly to your sugar maple tree and let the beetle consume it.

You can also use agar and oil formulations of the fungus. The formulation will eliminate adult beetles, with minimal side effects.

The Quarantine Method

One of the best ways to ensure that the Asian long-horned beetle doesn’t get into the trees in your yard is by using the quarantine method. If you use firewood, make sure that you get your firewood locally to avoid transporting these wood-boring beetles into your yard.

The State of Michigan restricts the transporting of firewood from one region to another. This can help to curb the spread of pests, as insects don’t move on their own. Their movement is facilitated by the transportation of infested trees. If this is to be achieved, Michigan would be better positioned to eliminate the beetles.

Having to destroy infested trees is the last thing you or any homeowner wants. But it may be necessary if the spread of these beetles gets to be uncontrollable. However, before we destroy more trees, it would be better to try out measures that can protect the sugar maple due to the economic value of these trees, and other countless benefits.

Contact Safari Tree

With the many tree species found in Michigan, you need a company that you can count on to protect all of them. At Safari Trees, we have what it takes to help you protect your trees from pests and diseases that pose a threat.

Contact Safari Tree for all of your tree service needs, and our dedicated staff will guide you every step of the way.

Watch Out For These Bugs That Kill Trees In Michigan

There is no shortage of bugs that kill trees in Michigan. Wood-boring insects are abundant. And it takes a proper pest control plan to keep them at bay.

Invasive insects are one of the biggest threats to your trees. Fungal infections also cause problems, and oftentimes it’s a bug that causes a disease to develop in a tree or shrub. That’s why it’s important to learn to recognize invading insects, as well as signs of insect or fungal infestation such as holes in trees, sawdust or leaves turning brown at the wrong time of year.

So, let’s find out which bugs are most troublesome.

Bugs That Kill Trees In Michigan

Asian Longhorned Beetle

The Asian longhorned beetle can attack and kill many tree species including poplar, willow, sycamore, and horse chestnut, but its favorite host is maple trees.

Adult female beetles chew depressions in trunks and branches where they lay their eggs. When the larvae hatch, they burrow into the tree’s heartwood, creating large chambers. The larvae feed in tunnels in the wood of the tree branches and trunks, eventually killing the tree.

The new adults emerge in the summer by boring round exit holes about three-eighths of an inch in diameter.

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

The most common stink bug in Michigan is called the brown marmorated stink bug (Halyomorpha halys). Brown marmorated stink bugs are an invasive species originally native to Southeast Asia. In Michigan, they live around the tree fruits, vegetables, ornamental plants, and legumes they feed on.

bugs-that-kill-trees — Stink Bug on a leaf.

The brown marmorated stink bug not only can affect yields in fruit, nut, legume, and vegetable crops, but it can also become a nuisance in indoor environments where they overwinter — like in your house.

Gypsy Moth

Gypsy moths are an invasive species. They feed on the leaves of more than 300 species of trees in Michigan and across much of the northeastern United States. They especially like oaks but many other trees are also good hosts.

The leaf-eating caterpillars are hairy, up to 2 inches long, and have a pattern of blue and dark-red spots. Male moths are dark buff in color and fly; females are white with black, wavy markings and do not fly. These insects are ravenous feeders. A single caterpillar can eat its way through 10 square feet of foliage as it grows. Trees that are infested with these caterpillars can be completely defoliated, and become weak and more susceptible to other problems, potentially killing the tree.

Japanese Beetle

Adult Japanese beetles are easy to identify. They’re about 3/8 inch long, metallic green in color, and emerge from the ground in late June.

They feed in groups, starting at the tops of plants, then work their way downward. Individually, Japanese beetles don’t consume much. But collectively, their damage can be devastating.

The types of trees they often target include:

Linden
Crape myrtle
Flowering crabapple
Norway maple
Japanese maple
Flowering cherry
Elm
Sycamore
Black walnut
Horse chestnut
Plums
Roses

There are a lot of products on the market to get rid of them, but you need to be cautious — especially if you use traps. The traps are designed to lure the beetles in, so you may attract more beetles than you already have.

Emerald Ash Borer

If you have an ash tree, you may have noticed small green flying insects attacking your tree. This insect is called the emerald ash borer and has been labeled the most destructive pest in America.

They lay their eggs on the ash trees. After about two weeks, the eggs will hatch and the larva will bore their way through the bark.

Outbreaks and infestations of emerald ash borer are announced very frequently. To find the most current information on the locations and status of each state, province, and county, it is best to go to Emeraldashborer.info or access their current map, typically updated once a month.

Controlling Bugs That Kill Trees

The Safari Tree pest control package combines killing insects and their larvae by strengthening your tree so it can survive the pests that do manage to attack. It starts in the spring when we’ll spread dormant oil on your trees. This will immediately begin to cut down on early insect infestations. We then fertilize your tree’s deep roots later on in the season, allowing it to get off to strong growth.

Find the treatment that will protect you, your family, your trees, and your entire yard. Contact us today.

How To Get Rid Of Tree Beetles

If you’re wondering how to get rid of beetles in a tree, the answer is simple. You have to know what type of beetle you’re dealing with. There are some sure-fire ways to get rid of them, so you can make your beetle problem go away.

If you have a beetle infestation in your tree, they’re there to feed. Most beetles are herbivores, eating only plants. This includes roots, stems, leaves, seeds, nectar, fruits, or even the wood of the plant itself.

So, let’s take a look at how to get rid of beetles in a tree before they do permanent damage.

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