SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Adelgid Agitation-Tree Pests

The balsam woolly adelgid, Adelges piceae, is a tiny, sucking tree pest first introduced to the United States and Canada, from Europe, in 1900. The assumed method of introduction is afflicted nursery stock. Preferred host trees in Europe appear relatively unaffected by the adelgid’s predation and these insects are not even considered forest pests of…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Imperiled Insect

Monarch butterflies, Danaus plexippus, may be one of the most distinctive of all Lepidopterans, almost everyone can identify the formerly ubiquitous species as they flutter by. Their bright orange and black markings make them recognizable to humans and serve as a warning to predators; they may be beautiful, but they are also bitter and toxic. Most…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Fire Ant Fracas

Ever since 1999 when fire ants (Solenopsis spp.) were first identified on the big island of Hawaii, the battle to protect farm and natural lands from them has been raging. This invasive pest, native to South America, has since been found on Oahu and Kauai. In certain areas officials had the infestation under control…or so they thought. Following…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Cankers Confirmed-Tree Pests

Thousand Canker Disease (TCD) is the result of a tiny bark beetle which burrows in the bark and creates large and multitudinous galleries, making these trees susceptible to fungal disease and canker formation by creating an entry point in the bark. TCD earned its name from the huge number of cankers associated with dead limbs and…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Goldspotted Oak Borer Burden-Tree Pests

The goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus, (GSOB) is an invasive pest found currently contributing to oak mortality in San Diego County, CA. This flatheaded borer is newly introduced to California yet poses a significant risk to its oak tree population. The pest is actually naturally occurring in southeastern Arizona, and a related species can be found…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Benefits Beyond the Bird Count-Tree Pests

During this year’s Christmas Bird Count (http://birds.audubon.org/get-involved-christmas-bird-count-find-count-near-you), put on annually by the Audubon Society running 12/14/2014-1/15/2015, scientists at the Nature Conservancy ask citizen scientists for help identifying signs of damage from invasive tree pests such as the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorned beetle, among others. Invasive insects are often preyed upon by woodpeckers which…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Karner Blue Butterfly Bulwark

In a dramatic, but satisfying, twist of fate, the Karner blue butterfly (Lycaeides melissa samuelis) has almost recovered from the brink of extinction. Named for its initial location of discovery and beautiful coloration the Karner blue butterfly relies on unique inland wetland pine barrens found east of Minnesota and along the eastern seaboard. Historically the blue’s range was a…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

The Issue with Ips-Tree Pests

Ips calligraphus, the six-spined Ips, and Ips pini, the pine engraver beetle, are tree pests of great economic and environmental importance. These pests are commonly found in infesting ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, stands in Montana and have been found across north America. Populations target hosts which have been weakened due to previous infestation by another pest or…

SavATree - Tree Service & Lawn Care

Black Turpentine Beetle Breakdown-Tree Pests

The black turpentine beetles (Dendroctonus terebrans) is the largest pine beetle native to the U.S.. And while turpentine beetles are certainly tree pests, they are often considered secondary pests due to the fact that their ideal target is freshly cut pine stumps, stressed or weakened trees. Drought or fire stress, disease, previous pest infestation or storm damage…