The EAB, as it’s commonly known, was decimating trees in southeastern Michigan and in nearby Windsor, Ontario. This pest had most likely hitched a ride on a shipping boat, and stowed away in ash pallets and crating.

Over the past decade, the EAB has destroyed between 50 and 60 million Ash trees in a destructive path starting in Michigan and cutting through to Pennsylvania. All major Ash tree species have been attacked by the EAB, and unless proper treatment is given immediately, trees will continue to suffer in Bucks and Montgomery counties.

Ash trees make up nearly 20 percent of our local tree population. This is a potentially devastating problem. So how do you know if the Ash trees on your property are being affected?

Symptoms of Infestation

• Small D-shaped holes approximately, one-eighth of an inch in size, appear on the trunk.
• S-shaped, serpentine galleries can be found just under the bark.
• Chewed up leaves

As we mentioned in our previous article about our region’s endangered Ash trees, the time to do something about Emerald Ash Borers is long before you see them in any Ash trees you have on your property. But late, of course, is better than never. So if you notice any of these symptoms, contact Peter Benz Landscaping and ask for details about our EAB program. (Peter Benz is a certified arborist.)

The bulk of the damage is done by this green beetle’s larva. Here’s how it happens:

• The adult EAB lands near the highest parts of the Ash tree, where it proceeds to lay eggs in the tree’s bark.
• A few weeks later, the eggs hatch and the larva bores through the bark and begins to eat. This stops the tree’s vascular flow.
• By the time most people notice the damage, the top 25 to 30 percent of the tree will most likely need to be removed before the damage gets any worse.

If it isn’t treated, the infected Ash tree could be dead within three years after the initial attack by the EAB. It’s up to you to get your trees treated as soon as you possibly can. Proper treatment will not only protect your Ash tree now—it will also protect it against future attacks. What types of treatment options are available?

Treatment Options

Preventative treatments will help you avoid the high costs and destruction that could result in the loss of your Ash trees. An evaluation of your ash trees by Peter Benz, a certified and licensed pesticide applicator, will decide which of your trees are worth saving, and which should be replaced or removed. Then you will start treatment with one of the following:

• Xytect® 2F is a treatment that is injected into the soil. This treatment is best suited for smaller trees, and it’s reapplied on an annual basis. It is effective for a minimum of one year when injected by a professional. It’s not suitable if the tree is located close to water. Xytect has proven especially effective with small Ash trees that aren’t large enough to be treated via trunk injection.
• TREE-äge® is particular effective on medium and large Ash trees. It is injected into the trunk of the tree by a professional. It does not affect other plants in the vicinity, and it is safe to use around sources of water. Considered the most effective treatment for trees this size, the TREE-äge treatment lasts for two years.
• TreeAzin® is an organic treatment made from an extract of Neem tree seeds. It works for a period of two years, and is injected into the Ash tree’s trunk by a professional. Not unlike the process undertaken with the TREE-äge treatment, TreeAzin is safe to use near bodies of water, and it won’t have an adverse affect on other plants in the area.

Having your Ash trees treated by a certified arborist is key to their survival. The devastation that can caused by the EAB and its larva is virtually guaranteed, assuming you don’t first stop the pest in it’s tracks.

The Peter Benz Landscaping team will inspect your trees and see whether they are candidates for EAB treatment. Peter Benz landscaping will provide you with a proven and safe treatment plan that is guaranteed.

Contact us at Peter Benz Landscaping today for details about how you can save your ash trees.

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Emerald Ash Borer Homeowners Checklist (PDF)

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Unfortunately, that’s an all-too-common occurrence for property owners in Bucks County and a number of other regions in Eastern Pennsylvania, where a devilish little pest known as the white pine weevil attacks and subsequently kills the tops of trees each year.

The white pine weevil operates by hibernating in the winter near potential host trees. Come spring, they crawl or fly onto a tree’s top “leader” branch, which is where they start feeding on inner bark tissue. Egg-laying happens soon after the feeding begins. And yet weevil activity is not normally noticed until mid-summer, when the terminal growth of the tree wilts and starts to curve, resembling the crook of a shepherd’s staff. This part of the tree then begins to dry out and turn brown, often falling off later in the season. Depending on the amount of activity, this may be the top two or three inches of the tree.

This can be a wholly preventable problem, and here’s the truly good news: It’s a problem that doesn’t need to involve the spring spraying of multiple pesticide applications, which is unfortunately still a standard treatment for white pine weevil in Pennsylvania.

Pesticide spray treatment isn’t just a potentially harmful solution, though. Where the weevil is concerned, it’s also complicated and time-intensive.

In order for the pesticide to do its job, each subsequent application needs to be sprayed during a very specific phase of the weevil’s lifecycle. And when you consider that the pest is known to attack some 20 different tree species in the eastern part of the country (it’s especially fond of eastern white pines, jack pines and Norway spruce trees), you’ll probably agree that a pesticide-spraying campaign is less than ideal.

We’ve found that a single, well-timed fall soil injection of an insecticide called Imidacloprid can give complete control. With our precise injection equipment, we can get the proper amount of chemical where it needs to be in the soil, so that it’s translocated up to the leader of the tree by the time these weevils begin their spring feeding the next year.

There are a few different reasons we’re so fond of this particular method: It’s less environmentally risky than spraying, because a less active ingredient of the chemical is used overall. It also has a significantly smaller impact on natural enemies of the weevil than spraying does. With our systemic injection method, you will also save money over the cost of multiple spring spray applications.

This is literally the perfect time of year to stop weevil infestations in their tracks before the tops of your Bucks County or Montgomery County trees turn brown.

If you’d like to learn more, contact our team today, and let us know what questions you have. We’re here to help.

A tree that has been treated for Emerald Ash Borer (right) compared to one that has not.

Unfortunately the time has come to make some tough calls about the trees on your property. The Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) has finally arrived in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The pest has been slowly making its way across the state, finally arriving when it was first discovered in an apartment complex in Warrington in 2012. Since then the EAB has been found in other area trees and parks (although it is believed to have not yet crossed the river into New Jersey). While many Ash trees in the Southeastern Pennsylvania may not yet be infected, it is only a matter of time. Unfortunately, Ash trees make up nearly 20 percent of the local tree population in Bucks County.

Originally a pest from Asia, the EAB is believed to have arrived in wood used in shipping crates. The initial site of infestation was in Michigan. This invasive species is widely considered to be one of the most destructive forest pests ever to come to North America. In the end, the total costs to the country, particularly to states and municipalities, could total in the billions.

Protecting Your Ash Trees

If you have Ash trees on your property, it is best to assume that the insect is nearby and likely to strike at any point. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to protect the trees on your property. The first step is to have a Certified Arborist check the trees and make sure that they are good candidate for preservation. If your trees fit the bill, there are a few different courses of treatment available, including soil applications, bark sprays, and tree injections. The Arborist will make this determination based on the timeframe and current state of each individual tree.

When treating for the EAB, it is best to start preventive treatment as early as possible. Infestations by this pest generally do not show symptoms until the problem has progressed significantly. The EAB larvae destroy the tree by slowly damaging its ability to transport water to the leaves. This can take place over the course of years.

An Ash Tree Guarantee

Peter Benz Landscaping also offers a guarantee for Ash trees treated using the TREE-äge® product. If your Ash tree dies from an EAB infestation while under guarantee, you will be refunded your EAB treatment cost(s) for up to the previous four years.

• We will deliver treatments using research tested products using the most up to date protocols to provide for optimal effectiveness.
• We will visually inspect your protected tree(s) every 1-2 years to examine for evidence of Emerald Ash Borer infestation. This inspection may take place at the time of re- treatment. We are available to look at your tree at any time should you be concerned about its condition.
• This guarantee is fully transferable to a new property owner.

Making the Tough Call

Unfortunately not every tree can be saved or should be preserved. A consultation with your Certified Arborist can help you make the best decision about the trees on your property. The Arborist can also consult with you on a management and removal plan for trees that cannot be preserved. Additionally, they can advise you on what to do with the wood from infected trees, as there are regulations and guidelines in place to prevent the spread of this disease.

Contact Peter Benz Landscaping today to protect the valuable Ash trees on your property.

White pine weevils spend the winter as adults in dropped needles under or near host trees. As days warm up in March or April they will fly or crawl to the leaders of suitable hosts. They begin feeding on the bark of terminal leaders. Mating occurs on the bark of the tree through most of June. A single female may lay 100 or more eggs in pits on the bark of the previous year’s leader. After hatching, grubs tunnel downward under the bark. Adult beetles emerge from late June to early September. After emergence, the beetles fly to other areas.

Between the feeding and the egg laying, the top 18-24″ of the leader is usually killed. Severe infestation may result in the loss of 2-3 years of growth. Glistening drops of resin oozing from holes in the leader are the first signs of attack, caused by adult weevils that are feeding before egg-laying. As the terminal is girdled, the new shoot of the current year’s growth withers and the tip bends over and turns brown. This stage of damage usually becomes noticeable in July. These infested leaders should be pruned at a point below the tunneling grubs, making sure to either burn or secure them in plastic trash bags and remove them from the property. If left on site the weevils may continue to develop in the prunings.

The standard treatment for pine weevil is to spray insecticides such as permethrin, bifenthrin or cyfluthrin at different intervals, but timing of these spray treatments is critical. The first application, to the terminal leader, as well as the lower trunk of the tree, must be done right before the adults begin feeding and laying eggs. A second spray treatment should be done a few of weeks later to protect the terminal leader. Other applications to the leader during midsummer are often necessary to manage this insect during outbreaks.

As an alternative, a single systemic soil injection of Imidacloprid can be applied in the fall to avoid multiple spray applications throughout the season. This allows adequate time for the chemical to be taken up to the terminal leaders of the tree. This method of control uses less active ingredient of chemical overall and has a lower environmental risk. It also has a reduced impact on natural enemies of the weevil.