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tent caterpillar

Insects That Will Hurt Your Trees

Trees are a wonderful part of every yard. Not only do they provide shade and aesthetic value, but they literally save you money by reducing energy costs and improving the property value of your home! Sadly, you’re not the only creature that loves your trees. There are plenty of insects that are eager to burrow into your tree and ruin them. You can better protect your tree against these would-be invaders if you know what they look like. Here are some of the most common insect threats to your trees.

Asian Longhorned Beetles

The Asian Longhorned Beetle is an invasive species that came from eastern Asian countries, such as China and Korea. Today, colonies of these beetles can be found across the United States, but are more common in the eastern states. These little buggers love to burrow into trees and lay their larvae, so that the larvae can feast on the tree and weaken it until it dies. A group of Asian Longhorned Beetle larvae will prevent the tree from being able to spread nutrients around the tree, which weakens the wood and causes the tree to die.

Tent Caterpillars

Tent caterpillars can be found in heavily forested areas throughout the United States. These caterpillars use trees to create nests that resemble tents where they breed and make tons of larvae that will chomp through even the strongest of oak and maple trees. Tent caterpillars chew away the leaves of a tree, which prevents the tree from collecting nutrients and eventually kills it.

Lilac Borer

The lilac borer is a sort of wasp-like insect that can be found from as far north as southern Canada and all the way down towards Florida and Texas. These borers get their name because they bore into trees and create colonies of larvae that will eat their way out of the tree. This greatly increases the risks of disease in these trees, and will usually kill the tree if the colony continues to breed in the same tree through each generation. A professional tree spraying company like Stewart’s can help get rid of borer bugs.