Tree Pest Control Harrisonburg

What are tree pests and what do they do to trees?

Tree pests are insects and diseases that feed on tree leaves, sap, or bark. Some of these pests can introduce other damaging insects to your trees while others will make the process difficult for a new tree's growth by weakening its structure. 

Common tree pests in Virginia are carpenter ants, termites, and weevils. These pests destroy wood by chewing into the bark and tunneling within it. If left untreated, they can completely girdle trees

Termites: Termites chew through tree roots while feeding on them. 

Weevils: Weevils feed off of leaves as well as their buds and fruits. This pest is especially damaging to young orchard plants because weevil larvae will eat away at developing seeds inside fruit that has made it past its first frost season.

Carpenter Ants: these pests destroy wood by chewing into the bark and tunneling within it. If left untreated, they can completely girdle a tree, causing severe damage.

Common tree diseases in Virginia are apple scab and rusts.

Apple Scab: Apple scab is a disease that infects apple trees and turns leaves black. 

Rusts: Rust fungi attack the plants' tissues causing them to wilt or turn brown in color. If left untreated for long periods of time these diseases can kill young fruit trees until they are dead and dried up on the inside.​

How to tell if you have a tree pest or disease problem?

There are several way to identify early stages of tree disease including :

Observation of a tree's leaves, bark and other parts for signs of deterioration. This a primary way to observe for disease.

Looking for holes in the tree where pests have made their way inside. Pest droppings are also sometimes left behind on trees. 

Checking with experts to assess what type of pest is being seen most often that year which can help identify most appropriate treatment plan.

Types of treatments for tree pests in Virginia

Types of treatments for tree pests in Virginia include pesticides, biological controls, and physical tree care practices 

There are many different ways to treat pest and disease in trees. 

Pesticides are chemicals sprayed on the bark of trees to kill or repel pests. 

Biological controls such as ladybugs and parasitic wasps can be released into a tree to control pest populations. 

Physical tree care practices such as pruning, fertilizing, planting drought resistant species and maintaining good sanitation help reduce incidence of disease in trees.

​Tips on how to prevent future problems with tree pests and disease

Planting the right type of trees in the first place is an important step to maintaining healthy trees. Ask your local tree expert for recommendations.

Make your trees the healthiest they can be by giving them a preventive pest control regimen. This affordable service will save you time, effort, and money on costly tree services that are intended to fix inherent problems. This will keep pests, disease and other potential problems from reaching your trees.

We will come out and look at the health of your trees, remove any diseased or damaged limbs, prune branches back as necessary for proper growth, and monitor pest infestations so you don’t have an issue with pests in the future. If you want more information on how our services can help keep your trees looking their best all year round, please contact us today! We offer free estimates for our customers who are interested in learning more about what we do.