PLANT HEALTH CAREANT HEAL
Defend Your Territory
Knowing the tree pests in your region allows you to develop and implement management strategies By Shawn Bernick
As a tree care professional, it is important that you are familiar with the most prevalent problems that impact your client’s trees. Each
geographic region of the United States has insect and disease problems that can be commonly found on your client’s trees and shrubs. Although there are hundreds, if not thousands, of potential causal agents and abiotic problems in a given region, it is important to be knowledgeable about the most common problems that are of significance in your area. Separating problems based on their potential to cause adverse effects to your client’s trees versus those that may be frequently found in your area but pose little risk to tree health is also important. For example, the majority of elm trees in the Midwest have a condition known as bacterial wet wood or slime flux.Although the oozing, smelly liquid that is exuded through bark cracks and crotches from within the tree can be quite objectionable to a home- owner, bacterial wet wood rarely impacts the health of an elm. On the other hand, leaf beetles, flea weevils, leaf miners, and, of course, Dutch elm disease are all problems on elm that impact tree health and require the attention of a trained professional.
Map provided by Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements 8 Arbor Age / July/August 2011 www.arborage.com
