Tag: Insects
-
Insects that Attack Trees in North Texas
Tree Pests in Denton County Our Consulting Arborists encounter many insects afflicting trees in North Texas. Below is a list of the most common insects that infest trees in Denton County and Collin County. Many of the insects are evidence of other stress factors that the tree is dealing with, like poor irrigation (too much…
-
Protecting Pecans, Red Oaks and Blackjacks from the Flatheaded Appletree Borer
Photo: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org In recent months, our arborists have noticed an increase in disease in pecans, red oaks and blackjacks. This is partially due to infestations by the flatheaded appletree borer (Chrysobothris femorata). Flatheaded Appletree Borer The flatheaded appletree borer is an opportunistic pest that targets weakened or stressed trees. Eggs are laid in…
-
Fall Webworms
Fall webworms are commonly seen in the autumn, as the name suggests. The small, web-forming caterpillar attacks over 88 kinds of plants and trees. In North Texas, Oak, hickory, and pecans trees are the most frequently infested, along with some ornamentals.
-
Why Are Crepe Myrtles Turning Black?
It is a rare neighborhood in North Texas that does not have a crepe myrtle or two planted along its streets. Crepe myrtles bloom in the summer, adding color and pop to any landscape. But like any plant in your yard, crepe myrtles need the right care and treatment, or they could become diseased or…
-
Pines in Decline?
Calls are coming into Tree Shepherds regarding Pines that are losing limbs and large portions of their crowns with some Pine tree death occurring.
-
How to Control Sooty Mold on Crape Myrtles
The sooty mold on your crape myrtles is caused by a sap-feeding insect, known as Crape Myrtle Bark Scale (CMBS). The insect’s excrement, known as honeydew, is sugary. Eventually, the sugary honeydew becomes moldy, turning the beautiful limbs of a crape myrtle dark and sticky. Like any mold, it can be cleaned up with mild dish…
-
What are those strange growths on tree leaves?
Leaf Galls and Wasps The strange growths on the back of the leaves, such as those picture below, are known as leaf galls. Galls are formed when a wasp lays an egg. Along with the egg(s), the wasp secrets a growth regulating chemical which causes the leaf or stem to swell. The resulting swelling is…
-
Fall Webworms – They’re Back in Town
The Fall webworm is a moth that infests Pecans and other hardwood trees and creates unsightly webbing tents on the ends of limbs in the late summer. What you see is the caterpillar life stage of the moth. The caterpillars leave the webbing when mature and drop to the ground to pupate and overwinter. We…
-
How and When to Treat Bagworms in North Texas
Bagworms are tiny little caterpillars that turn into moths. They feed on trees such as Junipers, red cedar’s, arborvitae, Leyland Cypress, and other evergreen type trees.
-
Emerald Ash Borer and Your Ash Trees
Emerald Ash Borer in Denton County You may have heard on the news that the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is now in Denton County. Some of these reports will sound alarmist and are designed to generate fear and sell some services. While the report is true, there is no cause of for alarm and I…