If you have trees on your property, you know it’s crucial to keep them trimmed and pruned. However, it’s also important to keep them protected from pests that could cause extensive damage. While a professional tree service can inspect your trees and treat infestations, here are a few tips for spotting and preventing some common pests that are prevalent in Georgia.

Avoid These Georgia Tree Pests

1. Pine Beetles

Southern pine beetles are some of Georgia’s most destructive tree pests, attacking pine trees of all ages and sizes. Adult beetles, which are reddish brown and about one-eighth of an inch long, bore beneath the bark to lay eggs, leaving telltale boring dust and pitch tubes. The beetles spread blue staining fungi from tree to tree, causing the needles to dry out in as little as two weeks. A licensed tree service can apply insecticide to prevent future outbreaks and remove infested trees from your property.

2. Scale Insects

Scale insects appear as bumpy, scaly, or crusty areas on trees such as oaks and maples, and are often accompanied by a white powder or an egg sac resembling cotton. As they feed on tree sap, these pests produce a sticky substance called honeydew that encourages the growth of black sooty mold, causing trees to turn yellow and lose their leaves. To control scale insects, hire a tree trimming service to remove and dispose of infested leaves, twigs, and branches.

3. Japanese Beetles

Japanese beetles are about three-eighths of an inch long, with metallic green bodies and coppery wings. These bugs eat almost any kind of plant, but are especially fond of roses and flowering fruit trees, leaving holes or lacy areas in the leaves. To stop Japanese beetles, spray them with neem oil or a pyrethrin-based insecticide. For long-term prevention, ask a tree service company about applying beneficial nematodes — tiny roundworms that feed on immature beetles.

4. Hardwood Borers

As their name implies, these worm-like moth and beetle larvae attack hardwood trees such as oak, ash, and poplar. Signs of damage by carpenterworms and other hardwood borers include holes in the wood, sap spots, and sawdust-like debris. By the time these signs appear, it may be too late to treat the pests. Hardwood borers are attracted to trees that are already damaged or dying, so tree maintenance and stump grinding are essential in removing the infestation.

5. Forest Tent Caterpillars

In summer, adult moths of this species lay their eggs in many southern trees, including oak, tupelo, sugar maple, and sweetgum. The eggs, which appear as a sticky mass stuck to branches, hatch the following spring, releasing larvae that can completely defoliate a tree. These outbreaks are unsightly, but most trees recover without intervention. Prevent forest tent caterpillar destruction by scraping the egg masses off the trees and destroying them before they hatch.

If your trees are infested with pests, turn to the professionals at Tidwell’s Tree Service. For more than 20 years, they’ve provided reliable tree work throughout the Macon, GA, and Milledgeville, GA, areas. Whether you need emergency removal, stump grinding, or insecticide treatment, you can count on this licensed and insured company to get the job done quickly and efficiently. Visit their website to explore more of their services, or call (478) 452-0234 to schedule an appointment for pest removal today.