Among the biotic effects that fungi infections cause, tree insects too are responsible for downgrading the health of trees, and in some severe cases causing their death. Insect species that thrive on trees are far too many to list in precision, but there are common ones which have been identified over time.
Aphids are very common and usually survive on devouring the leaves of trees. When they are only a couple, there is little that they can do, but when they are in large numbers they are devastating as they can clear most of the greenery in a tree. When they feed on the shoots and crowns of maturing trees, they undermine the growth of the trees. The worst part is that they leave behind honeydew which encourages the invasion of the sooty mold fungus. Other subspecies of these insects can release toxins to the plants and this has the effect of stunting growth.
The fall webworm is a worm that invades most different kinds of trees, including the fruiting variety and the willows. They release silk like webs which diminish the appeal of a landscape ornamented in any of these trees. They favor the warm and wet climate which is generally observed in the fall.
Adelgids are a type of aphid that feeds on the saps of firs and conifers. Their mouthparts are adapted to piercing and sucking. Thus they pierce through the bark of conifers and get nourishment from the sap. There is nothing wrong with this, only that they may transfer unwanted microorganisms into the plant, thus causing a disease.
The forest tent caterpillar is another common pest which likes to make food from the foliage of most hardwoods. It has a defined taste for sugar maples and oaks. Since it does not cause any health complications on a tree, it is not considered a danger. But its invasion on hardwoods which are of commercial importance is considered a bother. The gypsy moth also favors hardwoods and feed on the foliage to total completion. This undermines the process of photosynthesis as most of the leaves are devoured and this may result in the tree getting weak from lack of food.
There are other tree insects that are considered as common, but the list would be too long to accommodate in this context. Control of these insects is not too hard, and it’s always the advised precautionary measure than dealing with the after-effects.
{ 0 comments… add one now }