Pest Alert!
Things to watch out for. Pest concerns either in our area now, or forecasted to be here soon. We will try to keep this current as time allows. Obviously we will not name every pest in our area since that would be alot but, we will try to pass on important problems as we become aware of them.
Trees & Shrubs:
*** DROUGHT - Be sure to water your trees until ground freezes, especially your Evergreens.
1. Chlorosis & nutritional deficiency in Trees - Yellowish leaves, thin/dying branches, slow growth, lack of vigor... Control: Soil-inject Fertilization needed.
2. Scale & aphids on Trees & Shrubs - Dripping sticky liquid (honeydew) from infested plants. Black sooty growth soon follows as fungal growth develpos. White cottony mass on branches may be observed with certain scale. Control: Insecticide
3. Emerald Ash Borer (and various other borers) - Tree dieback. Larvae feed on cambium layer of tree. Control: Insecticide
4. Spruce Needlecast & Canker- Branch thinning as needles die. Browning needles working their way up the tree, and inside to outside of branches. Canker has blueish pitch. Control: Prune cankered branches, fungicide for Needlecast.
5. Anthracnose - Leaf distortion, defoliation, leaf spots and blotches, shoot die back. Control: fungicide and fertilize.
6. Powdery Mildew - White powdery growth on leaves causing stunting of growth. Control: Fungicide
7. Pruning Issues/ Tree Defects - Most area Trees are in extreme need of pruning. Many trees need aeration. Support systems are needed in several other trees.
8. Tent Caterpillars - Leaf feeding. Webbing in branches. Control: Insecticides
9. Tree Diseases - Many types. Rots, decays, cankers, leaf to root disorders, ... Control: Fungicide, aerate, pruning, soil conditioning, ...
10. Compacted Soils - Hard, impermeable, ponding, poor root extension, dieback, poor micro-life, ... Control: Aerate & Decompact, Soil conditioning
Lawn:
1. Voles - Trails in turf as they feed on grass, burrows under sod into soil. Gnawing on smaller trees and shrubs. Control: Trapping and rodenticide.
2. Compacted Soil - Poor water infiltration, ponding, hard surface, thinning grass, ... Control: Core Aeration, SoilCondition.
3. Powdery Mildew - White powdery on grass blades. Control: Fungicide. Aerate, improve air flow and sunlight
4. Lawn Diseases - Several types from patchy dead spots, thining out, leaf spots,... Control: Fungicide, Aerate, Overseed,...
Structural Pest:
1. Bed bugs - Congregate in mattress and box spring. Feed on human blood leaving bite wounds to its host. Control: Insecticides
2. Yellowjackets/ Hornets - Nests in soil along foundation, under porches, under drives and walks. Hornets nests above ground in trees, under stairs, decks, overhangs... Control: Insecticides
3. Asiatic lady beetle - Control: Insecticides
4. Paper wasps - Paper nests under eaves, any place they can. Control: Insecticides
5. Flies - Various types. In homes, garages, outdoors. Nuisance, disease-carrying. Control: Insecticides