During the fall season it is important to pay close attention to the trees in your yard. If any of them are sick or decaying, it could cause serious damage during the winter when the weather is harsh and the tree potentially falls.
There are many things that can affect your tree. This is especially true in the fall as the weather and temperature can inspire the leaves to change at different times.
However, there are some very clear signs that a tree is having trouble. You have to know what to look for and have the situation addressed before it gets out of control.
Trees are especially vulnerable to insect infestations. There are a variety of insects that crawl around in your trees but, some of them are actually very damaging to the health of your tree.
Here are a few signs of the more common insect infestations that your tree might face:
- If your tree looks like it is covered in spider webs and the leaves started fall off of it several weeks ago, you likely have fall webworms in your trees. These insects are nesters and they spin these webs of silk during the fall to protect themselves and then eat the leaves of the tree from within the web
- On trees that are evergreen, signs of chewed leaves and silky web covering is a sign of bagworms. These insects like trees such as: oak, juniper, birch, cedar and spruce. You must have all silk bags that they weave removed from the tree to control the infestation
- If you notice that you or your family members are coming inside with itchy red spots on your skin, after being around a tree that has brown leaves with dry crunchy edges, then that tree probably has an infestation of oak mites.
- Conifer trees like spruce and juniper can also fall victim to an infestation of spider mites. These insects feed on the sap that is in the tree needles and spin small silk webs.
If you notice any of these signs of insects, or other signs of decay or damage, make sure to contact your local tree care and landscaping professional. It is important to have these issues addressed quickly and before the tree causes any damage to your home.
