Many tree-eating bugs, like the scale insect, can destroy your plants. In this article, Tree Keepers LLC, your reliable tree removal company in Littleton, explains more about tree insects that you might encounter.
1. Aphids
When learning more about trees, one of the first things you’ll learn about is aphids. These small tree pests cause extensive damage by sucking the sap out of the leaves of infested trees. While one insect alone is fairly harmless due to its size, these bugs live in colonies and reproduce quickly.
You’re most likely to find them on the following trees, but they’re not picky eaters:
- Aspen
- Ash
- Apple
- Some Conifers
- Linden
- Many Ornamental Varieties
2. Bark Beetle
These nasty tree-eating bugs damage your trees from the inside out because they lay their eggs inside the bark. While they prefer weaker trees, they’re equal opportunity offenders. If you don’t control these insects, you’re looking at dead branches and tree death.
3. Douglas-Fir Tussock Moth
It’s the larvae and caterpillars of this type of moth that harm trees. They lay their eggs in masses over winter and then pop out in spring with a ravenous appetite. They continue to chomp away until the middle of summer when they’re fully grown. At this stage, they leave the nest and infest other trees.
4. Emerald Ash Borer
While quite pretty to look at, these are tree bugs you never want to see. The borer lays its egg in the bark so its larvae have plenty to eat. Over time, the larvae disrupt the tree’s internal systems for transporting moisture and nutrients, causing the tree to die.
This can take two to four years but is always fatal if left unchecked.
5. IPS Beetle
You might hear people refer to these as engraver beetles. They’re fond of spruce and pine trees and are quite small. They have tooth-like spines on their bodies, which is one way to identify them.
6. Lilac/Ash Borer
Colorado is home to many species of this pest. These pesky creatures love eating:
- Oak
- Ash
- Fir
- Birch
- Pine
- Stone fruit trees
They look like paper wasps when fully grown but are quite destructive before that stage. Their larvae also feast on your tree, killing it from the inside out. Look out for holes in the bark and squirming white larvae.
7. Mountain Pine Beetle
This pest is the scourge of pine forests and kills millions of trees a year. The difficulty here is that the insect is quite small, even when fully grown. It’s difficult to spot and burrows deep into the bark to lay its eggs. It also lives for about a year, making it particularly destructive.
Contact Our Team for an Expert Diagnosis
Now that you know more about tree-eating bugs, do you have other questions to ask a tree removal service? Do you need help in banishing these horrible creatures? Call Tree Keepers LLC at (720) 534-2872 to schedule a consultation with our expert arborists and deal with them definitively.