Blog, Disease & Pest Prevention, What's Wrong With My Trees?
3 Pests To Look Out For In Your Garden This June
June is a busy month for gardeners! Not only do you have to worry about keeping your plants healthy and thriving, but you also need to be on the lookout for pests. This month, keep an eye out for these three pests:
Japanese Beetles
Though they look like emerald ash borers, Japanese beetles are scarabs with a brilliant metallic green body and copper-brown wings. Invasive to Missouri and the United States, Japanese beetles feed on the leaves of plants until only the veins remain. This can lead to defoliations and stress in your trees. To control Japanese beetle, pick them off by hand and put them in a bucket of soapy water. This will kill them and is easy and environmentally friendly.
Bagworms
Yes, it’s that time of year! Bagworms are a common sight in the Midwest, and some of us may not give them a second glance, as their nests look almost like part of the tree. Symptoms of bagworms include the presence of their nests, chewed leaves, defoliation, and branch death—bagworms like evergreens like juniper and spruce, birch, elm, and other trees. Like Japanese beetles, bagworms can be removed by hand and placed in a bucket of soapy water.
Scale Insects
Scale insects are sap-sucking pests that come in armored and soft varieties like oystershell scale, magnolia scale, and cottony maple scale. Scale isn’t picky about the trees they latch onto, and horticultural oils applied during their dormant phase are an effective means of control. Symptoms of an infestation include a thinning canopy, the presence of scale, and leaf yellowing.
Get your trees treated by the professionals at Hansen’s Tree Service
Before treating your trees by yourself to control pests, contact the professionals at Hansen’s Tree Service. Always check a tree care specialist’s credentials to ensure that you are getting a certified, insured professional from a reputable company like Hansen’s Tree Service.