On Monday, June 11th, TJ shared some leaf samples he had collected in the field. These leaves were marked with feeding damage from a small black insect he also had collected to show us. I had never seen or heard of this critter before that day, but TJ's sharing could not have been more timely. Since then I have had the opportunity to see evidence of plant damage by the Yellow Poplar Weevil from Ostrander to New Albany.
Imprelis damage on pines and spruces
I’ve recently responded to several clients who needed an ISA Certified Arborist to evaluate their trees for Imprelis damage. In cases like this, it is easy to walk up to a tree such as a White Pine or a spruce, see the familiar symptoms of Imprelis damage from a distance and make the conclusion that Imprelis was the culprit causing the dead, curled stems at the top of the canopy.
This is a prime example of having to set aside preconceived ideas about what may be wrong with a tree. First, the thought of Imprelis has been introduced by the client, which tells me that Imprelis has been in use at the property. Second, the tree in question is a tree known to be susceptible to Imprelis damage. Third, as I approach the tree the symptoms look like Imprelis. As an arborist, I have to slow down, set aside the preconceptions, and look closely at the tree, as White Pine Weevil (WPW) is another common problem to pines and spruces that causes symptoms somewhat similar to those caused by Imprelis.
During the past two weeks, I have had the above scenario play out in 3-4 instances, enough times that I thought it worthwhile to write about. Though the symptoms and the host trees are similar, there are some differences worth pointing out:
With Imprelis damage, the affected tips are usually spread throughout the canopy. With WPW usually only one stem (sometimes more) will be affected, and this will almost always be the top stem in the tree. However, I have seen trees lightly damaged by Imprelis that showed symptoms on only one or two stems, and those were in the top of the tree as well.
Imprelis typically causes unnatural swelling of buds and stems. Not so with WPW.
WPW can cause a distinctive sap flow which can be seen from the ground if present.
If the culprit is WPW, careful inspection will reveal exit holes coming from the damaged stem of the tree. If it is possible to prune the dead tip out to make a close inspection, signs of WPW will be unmistakable if that is the culprit.
I have seen one spruce with light Imprelis damage that also had WPW. This needed to be taken into account so both problems could be addressed in the diagnosis.
Moral of the story? Approach every tree, every client, every person, with a blank slate. It is easy to look at trees and people with preconceived notions getting in the way of an accurate and fair appraisal, and people, like trees, do not respond well to incorrect treatment.
Your friendly neighborhood arborist,
José F.
Asian Longhorned Beetle
In August of 2012, Joe Russell, TJ Nagel and José Fernández made a trip down to Cincinnati to hear Joe Boggs, entomologist and OSU Extension Educator in the Cincinnati area, give a talk on Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB). Following are some quick facts from lecture notes and from www.beetlebusters.info presented as FAQs:
How to Water Your Trees
How do I water my new trees?
Believe it or not, there is more to watering a tree than simply spraying it with a hose once in a while. Properly watering a tree will ensure that the tree establishes well at its new location, developing strong, deep roots that will sustain it through periods of drought as it matures. Please note that this article will not deal with how to properly plant a tree, although how the tree is planted does influence how water enters into the root zone.
First of all, you need to know what type of soil you have. In central Ohio, heavy clay soils are most common, and almost guaranteed if you live in a newer housing development where the soil structure is far from normal due to common construction practices. If you happen to have a sandier soil than commonly found in Ohio, you will need to adjust your watering accordingly.
Oak Wilt in Franklin County
Several weeks ago a client called the office about some Red Oaks that were dying, one by one. I arrived at his home in north Columbus and he quickly filled me in on the details: Two years ago one tree died, last year one other tree died (neighbor’s tree nearby) and this year two more trees had died.
Ask An Arborist: Can I save my ash tree?
@mikeresa:
Is it possible to save a young Ash tree from the Ash Bore?
José Fernández ISA Board Certified Master Arborist, Russell Tree Experts:
Yes, it is very possible. There are many methods of treating Ash trees for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), but experience has proven that there are two methods that work best:
Soil drench method and trunk injection method.The trunk injection method is recommended for trees that have an existing infestation. The soil drench method works well as a preventive measure to maintain resistance on healthy trees. It is important to have an ISA Certified Arborist inspect the tree in question to determine if it is a good candidate for treatment.