The recent dry, hot spell of weather this summer has put trees under a much greater amount of stress than usual. Trees in a stress state are much more attractive to wood boring insects, such as the ambrosia beetle, conifer bark beetles, and a variety of other host specific beetles/borers. These insects bore the bark to the cambium layer of host trees, laying eggs that develop into grubs. Those grubs tunnel through the host, feeding on live tissue. Grown adults will then chew out, fly away, and seek other breeding sites. Once a bark beetle has successfully established itself in a host, it will emit a pheromone that attracts other beetles to feed.
We’ve seen a dramatic increase in borer and bark beetle activity this season, resulting in multiple lost trees. We’re also tracking a longer growing season than usual due to higher temperatures allowing for more generations of pests to develop further into the fall. In response, we are offering a fourth visit of our Preventative Borer/Beetle program, which will become our standard approach moving forward. If your trees haven’t been infested yet, it is definitely not too late to have treatments done to ensure they stay protected. The earlier in the season this is done, the better.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us! We appreciate your trust and the opportunity to care for your trees and shrubs.
Thank you,
The Arborscapes Team