What is it?
Western ash bark beetles are small, oval shape, 2-3mm long and brown in color. They attack ash trees by tunneling between the bark and wood, causing branches to die. They usually attack dead and injured branches, and trees stressed by other factors, such as drought or incorrect pruning.
Symptoms
- Cracked and sunken bark with a row of ventilation holes created by the insects.
- Continued branch dieback indicates a serious infestation.
Damages
- The tree will loss its aesthetic value.
- Continued infestation can cause a considerable amount of dead branches and even kill the tree.
What to do?
- Keep your tree healthy and well watered is the first step to prevent pests and diseases.
- Regular pruning of dead , weakened branches.
- Wrap sticky band around the tree trunk in early spring before beetles emerge.
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