How to Get Rid of Ants on Austrian Pine Trees

Pine Tree Bug Control

The management of the evergreen tree insects discussed below is tricky because treatment timing depends on the insect’s lifecycle. Also, many of these pines and furs grow tall with thick canopies. Most homeowners do not have the equipment to apply a control product on top of trees or penetrate the dense canopy of spruces. So unless you are an entomologist or have a bucket truck, why waste time and money trying to figure it out yourself? According to our three ISA Certified Arborists, prevention is the best strategy for pine tree care. A hardy tree is likely to withstand the onslaught of many of the insects discussed below. The following tree practices will keep yard trees healthy:

• Thin out any overgrown pine, spruce, or fir thickets.
• Hire a tree service company to prune high-value trees to promote healthy growth.
• Plant native trees with natural resistance to many of these tree insects.
• Add deciduous trees to the landscape to increase tree diversity.
• Sometimes, even with the best of efforts, trees die and need to be removed. Click here for information about tree removal.

Ross Tree’s motto is Integrity in Action, which means we’re committed to minimizing environmental impact when using control products. We are a pioneer in tree injection and a go-to company for Plant Health Care in the Denver area. Ross Tree has three Qualified Supervisors (QS) licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to handle pesticide products. We promise only to use what is necessary to treat your trees and nothing more. We used the Colorado State Extension Service, the Colorado State Forest Service, and in-house expertise at Ross Tree Company to create this Handbook. For help with pine tree care, please survey of tree insects that attack evergreens in Denver.

Ross Tree crews are noticing an outbreak of Twig beetles on Spruces in Denver. Twig beetles (Pityophthorus spp. and Pityogenes spp.) are poorly known native insects that attack conifers in Denver. These small beetles attack the branches and twigs of Pines, Douglas Fir, and Spruce trees. In significant infestations, these beetles attack healthy trees. It takes a trained eye to identify Twig beetle damage which appears as a flagging or curling of branch tips. Twig beetles look for trees stressed by drought, disease, or physical damage.

Twig Beetle Management – It is important to note that once homeowners notice Twig Beetle damage, it is too late to save the tree. So, prevention is the best tactic. Be sure to water and feed all yard conifers in the winter and summer months. Healthy trees can ward off most pests with their natural defenses. Drought stress weakens trees, making them susceptible to Twig Beetle attack. Systemic trunk sprays are effective, and we recommend two applications per season.

Ips beetles are evergreen tree insects that develop under the bark of pine and spruce trees. They damage the trees by producing tunnels that girdle them. Eleven species of Ips beetles reside in Colorado. Ips beetles attack stressed trees, but they will feed on healthy pines and spruces during outbreaks or droughts. Small round exit holes in the bark of infested trees indicate the beetles have completed their development and left to find new trees to attack.

Ips Beetle Management – Tree pruning and thinning that promotes vigorous growth is the first step in controlling Ips beetles. Newly transplanted trees, trees suffering root injuries from construction, and trees exposed to large Ips infestations are at risk and benefit from preventive insecticide applications. The choice of control products for large outbreaks is extensive and situational. It is best to contact a professional tree service for treatment.

Giant Conifer Aphids are soft-bodied, usually found in large groups feeding on the sap in twigs and branches of Pines, Firs, and Spruces. Giant conifer aphids are large aphids with long legs and with dark colors. Eggs hatch in the spring and molt through several stages, becoming bigger with each molt. Aphids secrete honeydew as they feed, and other insects, especially ants, bees, and wasps, feed on the honeydew. Heavy infestations of Giant Conifer Aphids cause yellowing of the foliage and reduce tree vigor. These aphids can kill young seedlings. However, most homeowners decide to treat because of the mess caused by honeydew on their yards and driveways.

Giant Conifer Aphid Treatment – Horticultural oils and insecticidal soaps are effective against aphids. Systemics are also suitable. Thorough coverage is necessary for oil and soap effectiveness.

One of the most interesting evergreen tree insects in Denver is the Pine Sawyer beetle. These beetle attacks pine trees directly and indirectly. Females cut into the bark to lay eggs. Once hatched, the larvae tunnel beneath the bark, constructing wide galleries filled with fibrous frass, the excrement of these tree pests. The larvae move into the heartwood, where they form oval-shaped tunnels. Mature larvae move back to the surface to construct a chamber under the bark, sealed with a plug. The adults emerge through the bark forming a circular exit hole. Indirectly, the Sawyer Beetle is a carrier or host for the Pinewood Nematode (PWN) Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The PWN is native to North America and is found in stressed or dying pines where it feeds on Blue Stain Fungi. The nematode cannot travel outside of the tree independently, so it uses the Pine Sawyer beetle as its host or vector. PWN spreads when the Sawyer beetle mates and lays eggs on trees or recently cut logs. If the tree is infected, the microscopic nematodes invade the thoracic spiracles and tracheae of young beetles. When the Sawyer beetles start to feed, it injects the PWN into trees. Once infected, the PWN grows exponentially, stopping the flow of resin and causing wilt. PWN infection starts in June or July with observable symptoms appearing later in the summer or fall.

Pine Wilt Management – All trees killed by Pine Wilt and any downed logs on the property must be removed before Sawyer beetles emerge in late May to reduce breeding opportunities. Also, do not stack pine firewood near Scots, Austrian, and Mugo pines since they are highly susceptible to PWN. Tree service companies treat PWN by tree injection.

The Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) Dendroctonus ponderosae is a notorious evergreen tree insect in Colorado. In some areas in the Rockies, the damage caused by the Mountain Pine beetle is as far as the eye can see. The rust-colored trees are called “beetle kill.” MPB lives in Ponderosa, Lodgepole, Scotch, and Limber pine. Outbreaks sometimes reach from wilderness areas into mountain subdivisions and city backyards. Natural controls of MPB are woodpeckers, Clerid beetles, and extremely cold weather. Many Coloradans wish for one or two frigid winters to control this pest. The best approach to MPB treatment is prevention because once infected, nothing can save the tree.

Mountain Pine Beetle Management – Mountain Pine beetles breed well in old and dense forests. So, thinning out overcrowded pines and planting other types of trees creates diversity and less opportunity for the MPB. For prevention, sprays are applied to high-value pines in the early summer to kill or deter the attacking beetles. Selecting and using the right control product at the right time is complicated and best left to a professional tree service company with a competent Plant Health Care department. Click here for more information about controlling Mountain Pine Beetles.

The Douglas Fir Tussock moth, Orgyia pseudotsugata is native to Colorado. These pretty fuzzy caterpillars devastate fir and spruce trees. Outbreaks tend to be abrupt, causing widespread tree defoliation. The larvae start munching at the top and work their way down each tree, looking for food. Subsequent attacks on individual trees will eventually kill them. After their eggs hatch in late May or early June, these highly mobile caterpillars spread out, attacking adjacent trees.

Douglas Fir Tussock Management – Proper tree thinning promotes healthy growth, which helps trees withstand the moth and its larvae. The choice of control products for large outbreaks is extensive and situational. Since treatment starts at the crown of trees, it is best to contact a professional tree service company with the right equipment and expertise to treat for Douglas Fir Tussock.

Watering and Fertilization

Healthy conifer trees can ward off most of the insects and diseases listed above. However, homeowners need to remember that most of the deciduous and conifers seen around the Denver area are planted. Denver’s climate is great for growing grass, not so much for growing trees, so all trees here benefit from supplemental feedings and watering throughout the year. We recommend four feedings per year. Click here for more information about deep root injections.

Healthy evergreens can flush out borers with sap and utilize other protective mechanisms to combat invasive pests. Each species needs a required amount of moisture and sunlight to maintain rigor. A certified arborist can help homeowners work out a fertilization and watering regimen to keep all their pines, spruces and firs healthy. Below are some tips to keep trees healthy.

Watering – All evergreens prefer well-drained soils. Planting pines, spruces and firs in wet, poorly drained, soggy areas is not a good idea. Pines should not be planted in irrigated lawns since they need less moisture than turfgrass. Planting firs and spruces in lawns will probably work, but be sure to leave the planting area free of sod to allow for good pine tree root development. Most evergreens growing in Colorado landscapes benefit from supplemental water during winter dry spells. Accompanying winds and unseasonably warm temperatures work together to dry out trees and turn them brown, so be sure to water trees during winter droughts Fertilization – Evergreens generally require less fertilizers than deciduous trees and get some nutrients from the soil and the air, but the trees need help when the following conditions occur:

• New growth is sparse or slow.
• Needles are not emerald green or are shorter than normal.
• Evergreens planted in very sandy or heavy clay soils need fertilization.
• Trees suffering damage from insects or disease.
• Encourage rapid growth in newly planted trees.

Tree Trimming – Conifers should be pruned to maintain a desired shape or to remove damaged branches from wind, infection or pests. Click here for information about tree pruning.

Tree Spraying – Pines, spruces and fir trees with heavy insect infestations need to be sprayed. Timing is important to catch the adult insect on the tree.

Tree Injections – Pine Wilt and many of the insects listed above can be controlled by tree injections. Many of these substances are controlled, so be sure to hire a tree company with Qualified Supervisors licensed by the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

Mulching – Mulching is a must in the Denver area. Mulching conserves soil moisture, by increasing water infiltration and slowing evaporation; it improves soil structure, moderates soil temperature, and eliminates potential tree damage from mowers and trimmers.

Chapstick For Trees – Colorado is known for its 300 days of sun and arid climate. Desiccation is an injury caused when the loss of moisture by the tree leaves exceeds the water taken in by its roots. Applying wax-like anti-transpirants to prevent plants from losing moisture through their foliage can help them look their best throughout the year.

This Simple Garden Trick Will Keep Ants Off Fruit Trees

FAQ

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What can I put around my tree to kill ants?