Although this is more of a pest in Christmas tree plantations, every once in a while we come across pine root collar weevil damage on landscape trees. Pine root collar weevil will attack both young and large pine trees. Host trees include Scotch pine, Austrian pine, red pine and occasionally white pine. The larvae feed in the phloem tissue around the root collar, killing the cambium in the process. This girdling of the tree will eventually cause it to die….
Cottony maple scale in Fenton can be a problem not just for the trees they infest but also for cars, patio furniture, or anything else that is under the tree the scale insect is feeding on. Cottony maple scale causes damage by feeding on the sap of a tree. A particularly troublesome side effect that Fenton homeowners experience is caused by the honeydew that the scale insect exudes from its body as it feeds on a tree. The honeydew drops…
Maple Petiole Borer An unusual, but benign, insect we often cross paths with in the spring in Michigan is the maple petiole borer. The damage caused by maple petiole borers can cause anxiety with homeowners because soon after the maple leaves fully emerge they start falling from the tree. A close examination of the fallen maple leaves will often reveal a darkened area on the petiole of the leaf. The petiole is the stem that connects the leaf to the…
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is launching a new “Pests and Diseases” webpage. The new page lists all pest and disease programs managed by APHIS as part of its mission to protect American agriculture and natural resources. On the new page, users can search by type (plant, animal), keyword (insect, beetle, weeds), or by the specific pest or disease (Japanese beetle, spotted lanternfly). You can also scroll through the page, which lists the…