Who wants their trees covered in gross bugs or annoying mites? Nobody I know. But luckily for tree and plant owners, there are a variety of options available when you start to see webs or nests forming. By working with a Kirtland Hills tree company, like Vancuren Tree Service, you can get help saving your trees and taking care of them to ensure that they are as healthy as can be.

Some common tree pests include aphids, scale insects, azalea lacewings, and spider mites.

Using pesticides may seem like a quick and easy method, and sure, it is. However, before you use pesticides, you may want to consider taking other steps first. In fact, there are already natural mechanisms in place to help trees and plants fight off insect invaders. One way this occurs is by beneficial insects. Insects like ladybugs, lacewings, praying mantises, and parasite wasps often consume these insect pests before they become an actual problem.

However, if for some reason, the problem isn’t resolving on its own, you may want to turn to pesticides. There are important things to understand before using pesticides, however. First, its effectiveness is reduced when you cannot get the pesticide in contact with all the pests. If you are unable to spray the entirety of the tree, you may want to consider a systemic insecticide. Systemic insecticides spread to the tree’s leaves and stems when applied to its roots. This way, it can kill insects through ingestion. Systemic insecticides may be applied to the leaves as well. Depending on the species of tree and how much damage it has endured, it may start to grow new leaves once the pests are dead.

Systemic insecticides are not the only option, of course. There are a variety of pesticides available and for different trees, they may be applied differently. For small, ornamental trees, you can put it in a spray bottle and spray as much of the tree as you can reach. For medium-sized trees, you can use a ready-to-use hose end sprayer. If the tree is a large shade tree, the best method is to apply the insecticide to the soil, over the tree’s roots.

Proper, routine maintenance of your trees is the best way to prevent infestations and working with a Kirtland Hills tree company like Vancuren Tree Service can help you do that. This will help keep your trees healthy, safe, and beautiful no matter what problem they may face.