Front Range Tree Treatment
Pinyon Borers – include pinyon pitch mass borer and Zimmerman pine moth. Larvae of this group of moths cause problems to various pines. Most common is the pinyon pitch mass borer that causes large masses of pitch to form around feeding wounds under the bark of trunks and branches.
The Zimmerman pine moth is a more recently established species of borer. It attacks the branch crotches of Austrian pine, causing branches to break easily. Presently outbreaks exist in parts of Denver and Boulder.
Elm Leaf Beetle - The insects feed on elm leaves and cause them to dry up and die. Heavily infested leaves die and give trees an unsightly, general brown color. Repeated injuries also weaken trees and make them prone to branch dieback and wind injury.
A large number of beetles and moths develop as wood borers in their immature (larval) stage. When full-grown, typically in one to two years, the adult stages cut a hole through the bark and emerge.
Shade tree borers include the following among others
Longhorned Beetles/Roundheaded Borers – attack juniper, pine, spruce, fir, black locust, poplar, aspen, cottonwood, ash and other hardwoods. There are many types of longhorned beetles, typically characterized by extremely long antennae.
Shade Tree Borers
Metallic Wood Borers/Flatheaded Borers – attack ash, apple, maple, birch, juniper, most hardwoods and poplar species of trees. The Emerald Ash Borer is included in this group of borers typically recognized by short antennae, oval body shape and iridescent coloring.
Japanese Beetle – This beetle is a lawn insect in the grub stage where it feeds on the roots of grass, and as an adult can cause damage to foliar plants from trees and vines to potted flowers with rose blossoms as one of the most highly favored foods.
Clearwing Borers – host species of trees include alder, ash, birch, dogwood, lilac, hawthorn, mountain ash, maple, oak, pine, poplar, sycamore, viburnum, willow and fruit trees such as apricot, cherry, peach and plum. This group of borers include ash/lilac borer, peach tree borer, raspberry crown borer, viburnum borer and currant borer.
Mountain Pine Beetle - Mountain pine beetles develop in pines, particularly ponderosa, lodgepole, Scotch and limber pine. Once MPB infests a tree, nothing practical can be done to save that tree. Treatment should be done annually between April 1 and July 1 to protect high value trees.
Carpenterworms - Hosts include oak, elm, maple, willow, cottonwood, black locust, boxelder, sycamore, and ash, but the insect exhibits regional host preferences. In the Rocky Mountain Region, poplars are the major hosts in the mountain areas.
Aphids - Aphids are sap sucking insects often found feeding in clusters on new leaf growth. Low infestations rarely require control. High infestations can cause leaves to curl, wilt or yellow and may produce a sticky nectar that drips to the ground. A high infestation may also cause stunting of plant growth.
Horntails – Horntails are a family of nonstinging wasps (sawflies) that develop solely within trunks and branches of trees. Horntails can attack both hardwoods and conifers.
IPS Beetle - Ips beetles, sometimes known as “engraver beetles,” are bark beetles that damage pine and spruce trees. They develop under the bark and produce girdling tunnels that can cause dieback and kill trees.
Emerald Ash Borer - In 2013, emerald ash borer (EAB) was confirmed for the first time in Colorado. This pest kills stressed and healthy trees and is so aggressive that ash trees may die within two years after they become infested. The only way to protect your ash trees is with preventative measures. Our primary way of treating ash trees is with the Arborjet system where your tree is injected with a systemic chemical that provides 2 year’s protection.
Peach (Fruit) Tree Borer - This borer is the most damaging pest of peach, cherry, plum and stone fruits in Colorado. It can weaken or kill trees so preventative control is recommended. Adults bore holes in the base of the tree and roots.
Kermes Scale - Kermes scales occur as pests of oaks throughout the northern hemisphere. Kermes scales feed by drawing sap from the twigs (and sometimes leaves or petioles) of their hosts, which can result in growth loss, branch dieback, leaf distortion, and the accumulation of sooty mold fungi.
Lilac/Ash Borer - Damage is caused by the larvae which tunnel into the trunks and lower branches of ash trees. These feeding injuries produce irregular gouging wounds under the bark and tunneling frequently extends deeply into the heartwood. Most all untreated ash trees will show sign of this borer and it can be fatal to the tree if left untreated.