Trees are a beautiful and integral part of the world around us. Part of the crucial role they play in the environment is serving as a home to many different creatures. Unfortunately, the organisms that settle in trees don’t always pay them back in kind.

Many of the different types of insects that make trees their habitat can cause tree damage and diseases that are difficult to recover from. As you tend to your trees this growing season, keep your eyes peeled for these common pests, so you can nip them in the bud before they ruin your trees!

Aphids

Tiny, oval-shaped insects that cluster on the underside of a leaf, aphids eat away at the sap in the leaves and stems of the trees they infest. As they suck sap out of the tree’s tissue, they stunt new leaf growth, damage existing foliage, and can spread fungal disease.

Telltale signs of an aphid infestation include curling and yellow discoloration of leaves, as well as a sticky residue called honeydew they leave behind in their wake.

Bark Beetles

Bark beetles bore into the bark of both hardwood and conifer trees, weakening their structure and spreading harmful diseases. These pests exist in many different varieties and infect not just a single tree, but carry spores as they move between trees that spread disease even further.

Look for brown, skeletal leaves, and small beads of reddish-brown sap called pitch tubes on bark (if these tubes are white, this means the tree has successfully fended off the beetle).

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

These pests are very common defoliators that usually appear on trees toward the beginning of growing season. Eastern tent caterpillars feed on hardwood shade trees, causing stunted tree growth and stripped leaves. They are black with a single white stripe along their backs.

Tent caterpillars can be identified by the presence of the silk tents—for which they were named—that they build on trees to live in and emerge from to feed on the open foliage.

If you spot one of these common tree pests, or suspect they may be causing damage to the trees on your property, call the team at Forest Tree Service. Our tree care experts will be able to identify and solve the problem, ensuring your trees stand tall and healthy for years to come.