Spring has sprung and we are watching bare branches unfurl with green leaves and colorful blooms. As the temperatures warm up, pests will inevitably emerge. It is wise to make a plan to protect your beloved trees from insects and diseases, but many of us are left wondering how to do so.
At Cherokee Tree Care, we have several Plant Health Care services to help keep your trees healthy, but there is one in particular that can give you peace of mind over all your trees and shrubs throughout the season. If you would like to have a trained professional keep an eye on your trees and shrubs periodically over the season, our inspection services are for you.
In this blog, we will talk about what inspections are, and we will include a few upcoming pests we will be on the lookout for.
When we propose an inspection for your property, this is the description you will read:
” Inspections are our commitment to environmental stewardship. A trained professional will inspect your trees and shrubs for insect and disease activity, and you will receive a written report of what we have found on your property. We will treat on an as-needed basis only. For severe disease and insect populations, we will recommend additional services and treatment options.”
In other words, an inspection is when one of our trained professionals walks your property and inspects all your trees and shrubs. We know what your specific trees are susceptible to and when those pests emerge and are most active. Sometimes we come across new problems that are not as common and we may need to take a leaf sample to research and investigate further. We will then make a plan for how to best care for your trees and the problem.
If we find a pest we can treat on the spot, we will spray it, and that is included in your inspection price. If it is something that requires further treatments at different times in the season, we will propose that to you.
We are not a company that sprays everything on your property regularly, if it is not needed. Our goal is not to put any more product into the environment than necessary to protect your trees and shrubs.
With each inspection, you will receive a written report of what we found and what we treated.
To protect your property throughout the season, it is wise to have regular inspections scheduled periodically throughout the season to catch any unwanted activity.
Now that you know what our inspection service is, let’s talk about some common upcoming pests.
Bagworms have been a major problem in our landscapes and can do major damage to trees. We are especially concerned with evergreens becoming defoliated by these pests. Baby bagworms will be emerging from their bags in late May/early June. Ideally, we would like to catch them when they first emerge before they do much damage.
Japanese Beetles generally emerge around the same time as bagworms. They will feed on the leaves of a wide variety of plants, leaving a skeletonized or “lacey” appearance to the leaves. Some of their favorites include Elms, Roses, Crape Myrtles, Japanese Maples, Plums, and many more.
Azalea Lacebugs are some of the first pests we see in May. They hang out on the underside of leaves and suck the juices out, leaving the leaves discolored. You will find these on Azaleas and Rhododendrons.
Pine Sawfly Larvae can be a very damaging pest if left untreated. They can completely defoliate pines if infestations are great enough. We most commonly see two species of Pine Sawfly larvae and need to keep a watchful eye for them in Mid-May and again around September to October.
One of the best things you can do to protect your property from these and numerous other pests is to have trained professionals inspect your trees and shrubs periodically. Give us a call to get more information about inspections and other plant health care services.