If your yard has pests, they can infest trees and make them dangerous, requiring you to schedule tree removal to prevent the infestation from spreading. This service also protects your home from vulnerable trees that may break or fall. Below are several indications that your trees are experiencing a pest infestation.

How Can You Tell if a Tree Has Pests?

1. Holes in the Bark

A wide variety of insect species bore holes into tree bark to create homes. This also provides a reliable source of food and water, eventually starving and killing the tree. For example, if you have ash trees on your property, they are particularly vulnerable to emerald ash borers. You can spot these pests by looking for D-shaped holes along the bark.

You may need tree removal if these pests infest your property as they can kill off forests by preventing water and nutrients from reaching the tree.

2. Eaten Leaves

Many pests defoliate trees, eating their way through the leaves and preventing the tree from absorbing sunlight effectively. You may notice small holes or missing sections throughout the body of the leaf. Moth larvae that hatch on tree trunks and eat the foliage as they grow into moths are the most common cause of this issue. Typically, the damage is apparent on several branches, but in severe cases, the entire tree.

3. Pitch Tubes

Much of Montana features beautiful lodgepole pines and Douglas firs. These species naturally create sap, an antibacterial secretion that the tree uses to prevent infection and limit damage. Pests like the pine pitch mass borer or Sequoia pitch moth drill holes into the tree to lay their eggs. The tree will respond by filling the hole with sap to create a pitch tube and prevent further harm.

4. Fungus

Dutch Elm disease comes from two different fungal pathogens and affects many trees across the U.S. This unique infection makes the highest foliage turn brown, spreading to the lower leaves and eventually killing the tree. The fungus spreads through bark beetles and can grow across roots that are touching adjacent trees. These trees can die within one year, so you should schedule tree removal to prevent the issue from spreading.

If you are concerned about the safety of your trees when pests are affecting your property, contact L & M Tree Service in Kalispell, MT. The team has over 25 years of experience with tree removal, trimming, maintenance, and stump grinding. Call (406) 261-7240 to schedule a consultation. Visit the website to learn about their services.