Insects Eating My Tree Leaves

[walleyes12]

I walked around my lawn lastnight looking at my trees and noticed that 80% of trees, the leaves are half gone from insects. A majority of the trees that have this problem are maples. Any suggestions, were do I even start?

[2 pounder]

Start with a call to the DNR,then to the university extension service. all kinds of bugs eat leaves,but yours sound like army worms. Good luck.

[Hammer Handle]

I have noticed a lot of army worms this year.

And, maples seems to be there favorire tree to munch on....

[HOGEYE]

I also have some maples although with sandy soils and this time every year the grasshoppers hatch and eat everything including the maples...

I now have chickens which are egg layers and they do their best to keep up with the hoppers but they are still very prolific.

[walleyes12]

I also have some maples although with sandy soils and this time every year the grasshoppers hatch and eat everything including the maples...

I now have chickens which are egg layers and they do their best to keep up with the hoppers but they are still very prolific.

I think you hit the nail on the head! I also have sandy soil, and noticed alot of grasshoppers in the yard...

Is there something I can spray on my tree leaves to keep these little buggers from eating the rest of my leaves???

[LwnmwnMan2]

If there are any nests, knock them down.

Also, if you see large concentrations of worms, spray them down with the garden hose.

If you remember 6-7 tears ago (+/-), there was a huge number of trees in northern MN that had forest tent catepillars, even all the way down to the cities.

We sprayed the trees, but if the leaves are already gone, then it's pretty much done.

The tree isn't dead, you'll just have to wait for the leaves to ome back.

[solbes]

I do remember that tent worm infestation. We were tent camping one weekend on the St Croix. Just sitting around the fire, they'd fall into your hair, down your back, and even right into the flames. Pretty nasty.

Not to hijack, but we have a nasty European Sawfly infestation in our backyard Norway pines (20+ trees). Really nothing I can do myself with so many, and given their 30-40' height. I knocked some down with the hose. Even bought some Sevin and sprayed in the lower 1/3 of the tree. No real way to reach the top though where it's really getten eaten. Any suggestions? It's too late this year, but maybe there is someone we can call to come out and spray next year?

[theoilman]

With tent worms I have had good luck with "Sevin" liquid in a hose sprayer bottle (recommended by a local garden supply - I carried a sample of the critters in). Unless you have extremely high water pressure you won't get over about 25 or 30 feet high.

[Powerstroke]

If you have the ability to treat them yourself wityh an insecticide, then go for it. For larger trees or just larger yards it may be more time/energy/cost-effective to hire a company to do it.

I did this for many years. It takes just minutes to do with the right equipment and hitting the tops of 80ft trees only takes a bump in pressure for us.

There are lots of things that are going to start showing there effects now that the hot weather finally arrived. With the cool, wet spring there will be a lot of fungal damage from things like anthracnose and scab and rust disorders. Also the insects are starting to get going so look for leaf-hoppers, plant bug and other things like the tent caterpillars.

All of them are very treatable, but you have to know what you've got. Most fungal disorders can be prevented, but not fixed once they've started. You'll have to wait till next year. For insects, if you catch it early you can stop the problem and save your tree from a lot of stress.

Every major town should have a city forester who is free to call. Otherwise contact your county office or get an inspection from an ISA certified tree professional. Companies are starting to charge for consults, but its good to get more than one opinion so you're not dealing with a company who's trying to over-sell you on worthless treatments.