• Elm Leaf Beetle-This insect attacks all native and introduced species of elms and zelkova. The symptoms are very similar to Dutch Elm Disease in the sense that they make entire portions of the canopy look brown, or dead. Upon closer inspection of the leaves, tiny holes can be observed, caused by the larval stage of this insect.
• Borers(Wood-boring insects)-These are some of the most important insects attacking our trees due to the incredible damage and premature death they cause. There are many different species that attack just about every kind of tree you can think of, especially ash, pine, maple, oak, dogwood, poplar, aspen, birch, cherry, plumb, peach, chestnut and many others. The most damaging stage is the larvae, which feed under the bark on the conductive tissues of the tree causing die-back of the canopy above the damaged areas. Small, round or oval holes in the bark, peeling bark, large masses of pitch on conifers, and crown die-back are some of the obvious symptoms of infestation. Sprays are rarely effective due to the insects being under the protection of the bark and systemic products are a much more effective choice. Proper identification is important due to the ineffectiveness of some products on certain species of borers.
• Aphids-More of a nuisance than a health threat, large numbers of these insects can cause a decline in the health and vigor of trees, and also make them more susceptible to other problems. These small, soft bodied insects have piercing/sucking mouth parts that feed on the young shoots and leaves of just about every tree species imaginable. The by-product of their feeding is a sticky, sappy substance called honey-dew that accumulates on everything under the tree and also leads to ant problems. For small trees control can be obtained by simply knocking them off the tree with a hard spray of water from a garden hose. Larger trees require systemic insecticide(products that are trans-located through-out canopy via the trees' vascular system) and are much more effective and environmentally friendly than the stone-age method of spraying.
• Scales-This is another group of insects that infect a wide variety of trees including maples, oaks, hawthorn, linden, box-elder and many others. These insects, also called crawlers, form a protective cover that is different with each species, that protects them and severely disfigures our trees in the process. The more common types are Cottony Scale(looks like small cotton balls on undersides of shoots/leaves),Oyster shell Scale(looks like small oyster shells on twigs), Hard Scale(small black or brownish-grey bumps on twigs), Obscure Scale(similar to Oyster shell Scale in appearance) and too many others to list here. Again, sprays are rarely effective due to the protective cover or scale of these insects. Systemic products achieve much better results along with a longer product life.(Typically a full year vs. 30 days, reducing the need for costly re-applications.)
• Leaf-Hoppers-Small, light-green  colored insects that commonly attack locust, especially honey locust, among others. These insects chew/suck on the tender young shoots/leaves and can cause entire trees to look overly thin or severely wilted, especially in the early spring when new growth is emerging.
• Beetles-There are countless types of these insects which feed on different parts of the tree including leaves, bark, twigs, roots and elsewhere and are also common vectors for many diseases of our trees.
• Galls/Adelgids/Mites-All of these insects usually cause abnormal, unsightly growth of tissue called galls that look like bumps or cankers on the leaves, twigs, shoots and bark. Some can kill the trees outright while others cause little damage other than aesthetic. The most common hosts for these insects include spruce, hemlock, pine, apple, cedar, and many others too numerous to list.

Problems and Solutions

• Chlorosis- A common problem affecting many of our important landscape trees, especially oak, birch, maples, ash and many others. Chlorosis  is a premature yellowing of the leaves seen as early as June or July and is caused by a lack of chlorophyll(the substance responsible for the green pigment in leaves) due to an iron and or manganese deficiency. It is especially devastating because trees require chlorophyll to perform photosynthesis which is how they make their food used for necessary functions such as root/shoot growth, defense, maintenance including reproduction, and storage. Chlorosis is often the result in alkaline soils because even when iron/manganese is present in the soil, the high pH prevents the tree from taking up these essential elements. This is also the reason soil applied treatments are ineffective, because of a soils' buffering capacity(ability to resist changes in pH), it is nearly impossible to alter  or amend the soil. This is why we use the process of macro-infusion, where a large volume of dilute solution is injected directly into the water conducting tissue of a tree through the root flares. This ensures product uptake and gives effective treatment allowing a full, healthy green up of the leaves for approximately three growing seasons.
• Sycamore Anthracnose-This is a fungal disease that affects sycamore, plane-trees and the popular hybrids between the two.(Bloodgood London Plane-trees) The most common symptoms of anthracnose are white, orange or brown patches on the leaves, causing a tattered look that many people confuse with insect activity. The anthracnose also mostly infects new twig growth, usually causing the entire tree to become defoliated and forcing the tree to deplete its energy reserves by producing two canopies of leaves every year instead of just one. It also seriously affects the aesthetics of the tree by causing Witch's broom, or profuse twig die back resulting in a crooked, twisted growth habit. Although anthracnose will not immediately kill the trees, it can destroy their natural  looks , stripping them of their ornamental quality, and also definitely causes a decline in the vigor and vitality, making them more susceptible to drought stress and insects. Foliar applied sprays are not recommended due to the immense size of these trees, and the high cost of re-applications. The proper treatment involves macro-infusion, where a large volume of dilute solution is injected directly into the water conducting tissues of the tree through the root flares, ensuring proper and even distribution through-out the canopy and protecting the tree for approximately two to three growing seasons.
• Dutch Elm Disease-This is another fugal disease that has almost eliminated all of the mature, beautiful elm trees across America. This disease infects the entire canopy and is transmitted by root grafts,(where the roots of an infected tree come in contact with a healthy one) or more commonly through the Elm Bark Beetle, a common vector for the disease. Healthy trees are killed as quickly as two to three growing seasons. Elms that have less than one third of the crown infected can be treated therapeutically with macro-infusion of a systemic fungicide that provides two to three seasons of protection. Preventative treatments are highly recommended for high value symptom-free trees and are much more effective than treatments of already infected trees. Typical symptoms include sudden die-back of branches or entire portions of the canopy. This is commonly confused with damage from the elm leaf beetle, which causes the leaves to look orange or brown, and can also make entire portions of the canopy look dead. Proper diagnosis is vital to establishing the  protocol for treatment.