Stop Eating My Trees!
In addition to tree removal services in the metro Atlanta area, Atlanta Tree Professionals also offers tree treatment for insects. Did you know that insects pollinate around 80% of trees and bushes? Although some of those insects are beneficial to trees, there are about thirty species of insects that contribute to the decline of trees in the U.S.
Damaging insects are grouped by the kind of damage that they cause on certain parts of the tree. Those groups are:
- Defoliators or leaf eaters. These include moths, aphids and caterpillars.
- Beetles and borers. These insects consume or breed inside a tree’s bark and wood. They also consume the tree’s seeds so new trees can’t grow.
- Fruit insect pests. These insects rot the fruit growing on trees. Moths, maggots, flies, leaf rollers and fruit worms are all part of this group.
Most common to our region are Pine Tree Beetles, Ambrosia beetles and carpenter ants.
If you are worried that your tree(s) might have an insect infestation, look for these signs:
- Sawdust around base of the tree
- Chunks of canopy missing
- Big bubbles of sap on the tree
- Small holes in the tree (they can be smaller than a penny)
- Dropping limbs
Insects are less likely to attack healthy trees, but already damaged or newly planted trees will be more susceptible to an infestation. So what is the best way to protect your trees from bugs? Prevention! Atlanta Tree Professionals can help with that by providing annual treatment of trees for insect control, identifying branch, trunk and root defects that may weaken a tree and recommending ways to manage them, removing dead or defective branches, correcting problems caused by improper care practices that have occurred in the past, pruning to make the tree safer and healthier and crown reduction that reduces the risk of tree failure for large trees located near buildings.
If you believe one or more of your trees are infested or if you want to prevent future infestations, give us a call and we’ll make sure those pests stop eating your trees! The month of June is free tree assessment month, so give us a call and we’ll come assess your trees at no cost! We service the Atlanta and metro Atlanta areas. Call us today at (404) 644-8733.
