Common Oak Tree Pest in The Metro Area

Oak trees are valued for their beauty, strength, and impressive stature. Like all trees, they’re at risk of pest infestations. Given the right conditions, pests can do considerable damage to the tree in a short time. Knowing what to look for and how to address common oak tree pests keeps your oaks healthy and strong. Here’s a rundown of the metro area’s most common oak tree pests.

5 Common Oak Tree Pests in The Metro Area

#1 Oak Leafroller (Archips semiferana)

The oak leafroller causes severe damage to oak trees, especially in urban areas. The larvae are called “leaf rollers” because they fold the leaves to form a shelter, causing significant damage to the tree.

These pests roll up large foliage areas, compromising the tree’s ability to complete optimal photosynthesis. General signs of oak leafroller infestation may include rolled leaves, defoliation, and greenish-brown caterpillars presenting on the tree.

Healthy oaks can tolerate some oak leafroller damage, but severe infestations require treatment with insecticides or natural predators, such as ladybugs.

#2 Two-Lined Chestnut Borer (Agrilus bilineatus)

As a wood-boring beetle, the two-lined chestnut borer attacks stressed or otherwise weakened oak trees. The larvae bore under the bark, damaging the vascular function that pulls water and nutrients from one part of the tree to another. It can result in branch dieback over time and, in severe cases, tree death.

This common oak tree pest Infestation is primarily characterized by the following:

• Thinning crowns
• Leaves turn brown
• Dead twigs
• Emerging D-shaped exit holes in the bark from adult beetles

This pest is managed by maintaining proper watering and mulching because stress predisposes the plants to infestation. Chemical treatment with insecticides is needed in a few cases.

#3 Oak Mite (Pyemotes herfsi)

Due to its minute size, the oak mite is practically invisible to the naked eye. It not only infests the tree, but if you get too close, these mites will get on your skin and start nipping you, too. Oak mites are at their worst during the late summer to fall period.

While the mites hardly harm the tree, they can be extremely annoying. You can do nothing to treat severe infestations once they’re active. Signs of oak mites can include brown and crusty edges on the oak leaves.

#4 Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar dispar)

The gypsy moth is a notorious oak defoliator. Populations are kept in check in many areas. However, an occasional outbreak has occurred in the metro region. The caterpillars feed on oak leaves, stripping the tree of its foliage fast, leaving it vulnerable to other stressors.

Symptoms of gypsy moth infestations include:

• Large hairy caterpillars
• Egg masses on the bark
• Defoliation

Monitoring and early intervention are critical to successfully treating this pest, which attacks cyclically. During the gypsy moth life cycle, the moth lays eggs in a cluster from June into August. Next, the larvae emerge, and this is the most destructive stage. Then, they become an adult moth.

Application of biological controls with Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) is an effective way to eliminate gypsy moths.

#5 Oak Wilt (Bretziella fagacearum)

Though not a pest, this viral-like fungus disease spreads via insects and is catastrophic to the health of metro-area oaks. Oak wilt is common and can be difficult to control. The fungus affects a tree’s vascular system and causes stunted growth, discoloration, and wilting. Ultimately, this results in the oak’s death.

The fungus spreads through plant sap-feeding beetles attracted to fresh wounds, usually from pruning activities. To prevent oak wilt, don’t prune during the growing season when beetles are most active. Treat wounded trees as soon as possible to minimize the chance of infection.

Wrapping Up

There are over ninety native oak species in the United States and about six hundred different types of oak trees in the world. White oak and red oak are among the most common. Oak trees in the US are susceptible to many diseases, so identifying an infected tree is essential for healthy trees.

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