Wood Boring Insects
Borers primarily attack plants that are under stress from other conditions.
Healthy plants may resist or tolerate some borer invasion, however decline or plant loss still may occur. Treatment may prolong Plant survival.
Call Your Family Tree Specialist for these special programs in dealing with these problems.
Click on below links for more information
Peach Tree Borer (peaches, cherries, plums)
Managing Wood-boring Insects
Prevention
Since most wood-boring insects are considered secondary invaders, the first line of defense against infestation is to keep plants healthy. Proper care of trees and shrubs discourages many borer pests and helps infested plants survive. Good sap flow from healthy, vigorously growing trees, for example, defends the plant from damage by many borer pests. Good horticultural practices include:
- 1. Selecting well adapted species of trees and shrubs that are not commonly attacked by wood borers in your area. Ash, birch, cottonwood, locust, soft maple, flowering stone fruits (such as peaches and plums), willow and poplar are especially prone to borer attack.
- 2. Choosing and preparing a good planting site to avoid plant stress, freeze damage, sun scald and wind burn.
- 3. Minimizing plant stress and stimulating growth by using proper watering and fertilization practices.
- 4. Avoiding injury to tree trunks from lawn mowers, weed trimmers or construction.
- 5. Promptly caring for wounded or broken plant parts using pruning or wound paint during all but the coldest months of the year.
- 6. Properly thinning and pruning during colder months.
- 7. Removing and destroying infested, dying or dead plants or plant parts, including fallen limbs.
- 8. Wrapping tree trunks and limbs with quarter-inch hardware cloth spaced about 1 1/2 inches from the tree’s surface where woodpecker damage is likely.
