Summer is a great time to be in the outdoors! The sunshine brings out many beautiful flowering plants and with them lots of insects. While some insects, like bees and ladybugs, are beneficial to your greenery, others are a terrible threat. Few other creatures in the insect kingdom are more harmful than tree boring beetles. Borers create a widespread infestation that systematically kills trees across the country. If you have trees on your property, don’t expect that they are exempt from risk. Borers can be difficult to detect at first, but in little time they can reduce a once-healthy tree to sickly and dying.
Trees are some of the most valuable assets a property can have. Trees are undoubtedly beautiful, prevent erosion, and offer shade or even fruit. What could be better for beating the summer heat than relaxing under the branches of a tree? You owe it to yourself and your trees to protect them from borers. Summertime is when tree borer beetles are most active, so now is the time to take action before it’s too late!
What are Tree Borers?
Tree borers is an umbrella category that includes a wide number of beetles whose life cycle involves boring into trees and consuming it. Tree borers lay their eggs inside a tree where larvae will mature into new beetles. Although there are many kinds of tree boring beetles, each one is equally dangerous in the region of its habitat. Therefore, it’s important to know what tree boring beetles have infected your area. Left unchecked, borer beetles and their larvae will burrow through bark and trunk, damaging the tree in the process.
Emerald Ash Borer – This little green terror originally came to North America from Asia, most likely inside imported wood. Although it is most commonly spread through eastern and mid-western states, these pests are making their way to the west. It has been spotted as far west as Utah! The Ash Borer targets ash trees almost exclusively. Since their discovery, they are responsible for killing millions of ash trees in the US and Canada.
Bronze Birch Borer – The bronze birch borer is common to the western United States. These pests typically attack birch trees that are already stressed by drought, disease, or other insects. Birch that is properly cared for has a better chance against a Bronze Birch Borer infestation.
Greater Peach Tree Borer – This insect is a major threat to fruit trees in Utah. Greater Peach Tree Borers not only attack peach trees but most kinds of stone fruit trees. These could include peaches, nectarines, apricots, cherries, and more. If you have fruit trees on your property, you should be wary of these tree borers, especially if you live in Utah!
Mountain Pine Beetle – Throughout the western United States, few pests have been more harmful than the Mountain Pine Beetle. These insects are increasing in number throughout ponderosa and lodgepole pines in the West. Because of the prevalence of pines in the western United States, you can expect the possibility of Mountain Pine Beetles to be in your area.
What You can do to Prevent a Tree borer Infestation
The best defense against a borer infestation is awareness and vigilant tree care. Tree boring beetles often target trees that are already weakened by other factors, such as drought or disease. Investing in the regular care of your trees help prevent a beetle attack in the first place.
Besides consistent tree care, keeping a watchful eye on the signs of an infestation will give you fair warning that insects have chosen to attack your property. The faster you identify an infestation and contact a professional to deal with the threat, the more likely your trees will completely recover. If you notice your trees are looking sickly, or there are holes burrowed into the trunk, it could be too late. The faster you detect and act the better chance your tree has at survival!
Want to keep your trees healthy and protected this summer? Contact the certified arborists at Senske to find out what you can do to defend your leafy assets. Do you suspect that your trees could be infested by tree borers? Don’t hesitate to call! Receive a free estimate on tree care when you contact us.
