Beneficial insects pollinate flowers and eat harmful organisms that attack the tree’s leaves or roots. However, some destructive insects feed on the tree’s leaves or bore holes in the trunk. These bad bugs for trees cause damage to plants over time because they eat away at the tree’s nutrients, eventually weakening its immune system.
Keep reading to find out the list of destructive insects commonly encountered by the arborists of this reliable tree service company in Milton, GA.
1. Aphids (Aphis gossypii)
When it comes to bad bugs for trees, aphids top the list. They’re tiny, hard to spot, and can cause significant problems.
Aphids are invasive insects that live on the underside of leaves. They have piercing-sucking mouthparts and feed on plant sap, which causes leaf discoloration.
Aphids also produce large quantities of honeydew. This excretion can turn black and contain sooty mold fungus, which is harmful to trees. Some aphid species also inject toxins into plants, further distorting plant growth.
The presence of aphids often indicates that there are other pests present in your garden or home. If you find any, contact us today!
2. Black Turpentine Beetle (Dendroctonus terebrans)
The black turpentine beetle is a wood-boring insect that feeds on pine trees. It is common in stressed pine forests, such as those for lumber production.
This beetle is one of the most damaging bad bugs for trees. It can cause severe damage to trees by boring into the wood and laying its eggs. The eggs hatch into larvae, which feed on the tree for about two years before pupating.
The adult beetles then emerge from their cocoons and continue the cycle with new attacks on the same or different trees.
3. Eastern Pine Shoot Borer (Eucosma gloriole)
The eastern pine shoot borer is an invasive insect native to Europe that has spread to most areas of the United States where there are white pines.
The female lays eggs on young terminal shoots of susceptible pines such as Scots and red pines. The eggs hatch in four to ten days into larvae that bore into the plant tissue of the node; they feed within it until they mature into adults and emerge from the shoot.
The larvae continue to feed during this period on new growth at the tips of shoots, causing them to wilt and die.
4. Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar)
Gypsy moths belong to a group of destructive insects that defoliate trees. The larvae are voracious eaters and can cause significant damage.
Gypsy moth caterpillars are bad bugs for trees native to Europe. Since then, the population has spread throughout most eastern United States and Canada.
They are one of the most destructive bad bugs for trees in North America. In fact, gypsy moth caterpillars can cause more than $1 billion in damage each year!
5. Asian Long-Horned Beetle (Anoplophora glabripennis)
The Asian long-horned beetle is another destructive insect that attacks many different species of hardwood trees, including maple, birch, poplar, willow, and fruit trees like apple or plum trees.
These invasive species lay white eggs at the base of their host trees during springtime months when there are plenty of flowers for them to feed on nearby. However, only about one in every ten adults survives long enough to reproduce each year successfully after emerging from their pupae stage throughout the summer months.
If you suspect you may have bad bugs for trees on your property, contact the experts at Southern Tree Pros for an inspection.
Learn how a hollow tree trunk can cause problems and other tree issues from our ISA-certified experts. Call (770) 841-1684 or contact us online for a free consultation.
