What You Need to Know About Tree Boring Insects

The frustrating thing about wood-boring insects is that you can’t always see the scope of damage they cause to your trees. Just below the bark of your favorite landscaping tress might lie an infestation of tree-boring beetles that you never knew were there! There are various species of wood-boring insects and beetles, some of which are a minor threat, while others are highly invasive and detrimental to trees. It is important to stay on top of routine tree care in order to catch a small infestation problem early on, before your tree can get sick, or worse, die.

Continue reading to learn more about wood-boring beetles, and which ones are known to target trees.

Indianapolis Tree Care Service 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Care Service 317-783-2518

Wood Borers and Tree Health

Although wasps and moths are known to target wood, and therefore, trees, beetles take the cake for the most invasive and damaging. The most common wood-boring beetle is aptly named the Emerald Ash Borer, and targets mostly Ash trees, but can also infest other trees as well. Other common wood-borers include:

? Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)
?
Redheaded Ash Borer
?
Red Oak Borer
?
Cottonwood Borer
? Locust Borer

Adult beetles bury below the bark, deep into the tree’s inner tissue, and then lay their eggs. They are also clever enough to use existing cracks in the bark and inner tissue when wood is too hard to bore. This is another reason why you want to take good care of your trees! Once the eggs are laid, the damage to the tree instantly becomes exponential since the larvae feeds on the bark. They tunnel all through the inner tissue, eating more and growing fatter.

As a result, the tree’s structured is weakened, causing the tree to continually lose its ability to properly distribute water and nutrients, thus causing it to enter a state of decline. In fact, an infested tree will often times have sawdust and debris at its base, providing prime evidence of borer larvae and beetles. Small L-shaped or D-shaped exit holes are another common sign of a wood-borer infestation.

Signs of a Tree-Borer Infestation

It is important to catch a beetle infestation early on through professional, routine tree service. Because their existence can go unnoticed for so long, most cases of wood-borer infestations are not treatable. However, in early cases of infestation, treatment is possible so long as it is done immediately. There are several ways to identify a wood-borer infestation in trees and other foliage. Their movements and behaviors leave clues behind that can only suggest a wood-boring beetle problem. Here are the common signs and symptoms of a tree infected and overcome with borer colonies:

  • Splitting Bark
  • Canopy Thinning and Die-Back
  • Foliage Bareness
  • Vertical Fissures on Bark
  • Callous Tissue Formation
  • Exposed Galleries under Bark Split
  • Serpentine-Shaped Larvae Feeding Galleries in Bark
  • Frass Accumulation (Mix of Saw Dust and Excrement)
  • D-Shaped Holes in Trunk
  • Increase Woodpecker Activity
  • Sprout Growth from Roots and Trunk
  • Larger-than-Normal Leaves

Indianapolis Indiana Tree Service You Can Afford

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for prompt and professional Indianapolis tree service you can trust. We are experienced tree care technicians that can resolve your tree problems, regardless of your projects size or scope. We offer a wide range of tree removal and tree services, for both residential and commercial properties. We even offer free estimates and free tree care advice!

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518

Indiana Hardy Trees That Can Be Planted in Full Sun Locations

Finding a tree that you like to look at is just one aspect of choosing the right tree for your lot. There are plenty more factors to consider if you want your tree to grow strong and last a long time. One such factor that seems to hold homeowners back from reaching their landscaping goals is overexposure to sun. Especially for new construction homes, there can be many areas of a lot that do not have any sources of shade.

In this case, planting a tree that is not suitable to full-sun exposure can end in failure. After all, how frustrating would it be to spend several hundred dollars on a new tree, only for it to decline the following season? Even a 30 or 90-day guarantee from your landscaping retailer won’t help since often times, damage shows up the season after too much sun exposure.

Continue reading to learn which species of tree are both hardy to Indiana, and suitable for a full-sun location in your yard!

Indianapolis Tree Service 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Service 317-783-2518

Drought-Tolerant, Full-Sun Tree Species

The USDA Hardiness Zones for Indiana are 5 and 6, specifically 5b, and 6a, and 6b. Common trees that are hardy to Indiana zones include Ash, Cedar, Pine, Hemlock, Elder, Birch, Beech, Cherry, Walnut, Chestnut, Buckeye, Hickory, Locust, Magnolia, Maple, Oak, Poplar, Sweetgum, Sycamore, Willow, and more. However, the most common tree species that do very well in Indiana climates, plus can thrive in full-sun or drought-tolerant conditions include:

    American Sweet Gum
    Autumn Blaze Red Maple Tree
    Ash Tree
    Ginkgo Trees
    Quaking Aspen Tree
    Yoshino Cherry Tree
    Kwanzan Cherry Tree
    Autumn Cherry Tree
    Okame Cherry Tree
    Blue Point Juniper
    Sugar Maple Tree
    Emperor One Japanese Maple
    Robinson Crabapple Tree
    Amberglow Redwood Tree
    Red Dogwood Tree
    White Dogwood
    White Kousa Dogwood Tree
    Butterfly Bush
    Dura Heat River Birch
    Eastern Redbud
    Redbud Trees
    Superior Hybrid Poplar Tree
    American Sycamore Tree
    Blue Moon Reblooming

Tree Planting Tips

When you plant a new tree, you can expect it to require a little more attention than the rest of your landscaping trees. That is because the root system is still being introduced into the soil and acclimating to its new surroundings. Here are some tips that will put you on a path of success:

For the first several months, you must check the soil every day, and water your transplanted tree every few days. Just be sure to not over-water; two or three times a week is a great starting off point. If it rains, check the top few inches of soil around the base of the tree for moisture first.

Laying mulch around the base of your trees is a highly effective method of supporting healthy growth and prolonging their life. Although you do not need to re-mulch every week, it is important to check on your mulch beds every day to ensure they are still doing their job.

It is important to inspect the branches of your transplanted tree every day to assess its pruning needs. Pruning should take place right after you transplant your tree. No more than 25% of a tree’s foliage should be removed in a year. Be sure to have a licensed tree service company perform your annual pruning needs to ensure that the proper ANSI tree pruning standards are applied.

Inspect your tree every day to ensure it is growing as it should. If it is not, fertilizer may be an option. Fertilizer should only be applied AFTER the first year of tree transplanting. Stressed trees should never be fertilized.

It is important to minimize the level of danger that can be imposed onto your new tree. This includes taking into consideration lawn mowers, sprinkler systems, nuisance wildlife, pets, herbicides, pesticides, and more.

Get Trusted Tree Care Advice and Tree Service in Indianapolis

Call Complete Tree Care at 317-783-2518 for experienced tree service in Indianapolis and throughout Central Indiana. We offer a wide range of residential and commercial tree services, including tree removal, tree trimming, stump grinding, stump removal, lot clearing, and more. If you want professional and efficient service you can trust, Complete Tree Care is the right call!

Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518
Indianapolis Tree Care 317-783-2518