What is it?
Poplar bud gall mite is microscopic mite that is hardly noticeable. It attacks poplars, cottonwoods, and aspens by sucking the sap from the buds, and swelling into woody galls.
Symptoms
- New galls are small and green in early season.
- A hard, dry, brick red, cauliflower-like galls will be formed on branches in late summer.
- Old galls are grayish color and can stay on tree for years.
- Infested branches will be crooked and stunted, and have sparse foliage.
Damages
- Lower branches are usually more heavily infested, leading to crooked branches and eventual die back.
- This insect seldom kill the tree, but it will stress the tree and make it more vulnerable to other pests, disease and harsh weather.
- Aesthetic damage is also a problem.
What to do?
- Keep your tree healthy, hydrated and fertilized can help the tree defense pests and diseases.
- Prune out galls and infested branches in fall or spring time.
- Chemical control is not recommended.
- Choose disease-resistant species such as Walker, Assiniboine and Manitou and native trees.
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