Lawn, Tree, & Shrub Health
Lawn, Tree, & Shrub Health
They suck. The juices out of infested plants. Aphids are very small, often only a millimeter long.
The young, or larval stage of the lacebug are wingless and also the damaging stage of this insect. Heavily infested plants will have foliage that is off-color.
Spruce spider mites attack foliage of spruce, fir, arborvitae, and other needled evergreens.
The gypsy moth is the most infamous tree & shrub insect. Infestations, in the early 1980s, defoliated whole sections of forest in the northeast.
The eastern tent caterpillar builds ugly “tents” in the crotches of tree branches to shelter themselves from the cold and will come out to feed on emerging foliage on sunny days in mid to late spring.
The hemlock woolly adelgid is a serious pest of eastern hemlock. It may also infest nearby spruce and fir. It establishes itself right where the needles meet the twigs and feeds on the juices. It will secrete a white, waxy covering that resembles very small cotton balls. This makes it easy to spot.
Severe infestations will eventually kill the tree. It is often found on the same plant as another pest, the elongate hemlock scale, which makes this even more serious. Fortunately, we have options for control of this pest.
The elongate hemlock scale attaches itself to the underside of needles of hemlocks and feeds on the juices. Heavy infestations can weaken the tree and cause defoliation. It often occurs along with another serious pest, the hemlock woolly adelgid. This “1-2 punch” will eventually kill the tree.
Like most scale insects, the elongate hemlock scale secretes a waxy coating which protects it from drying out, predators, and topical pesticide sprays. Fortunately, we have options to control this pest.