Hardwood trees are susceptible to getting damaged by twig girdle beetle. These ½ an inch long twig girdlers have grayish-brown color and can be quite hard to notice since they blend in with the bark of a tree so well. The females chew small branches and lay their eggs under the bark. The “girdler” name comes from the boring that encircles the branch tip. Since these can cause damage to your trees, it is good to know a thing or two about twig girdler control.
Keep reading to find out more about diagnosing, solutions, and treatment for twig girdlers!
Twig Girdler Beetle – Diagnosis, Solution, and Treatment
Diagnosing Procedure
It is recommended to consult with a tree service Fort Worth company about the diagnostic procedures. Still, if you notice girdler twigs, you can almost surely consider that there’s a presence of twig girdlers on your trees. The tree experts will assess the health status of your trees and outdoor grounds will be closely inspected for twig girdler beetle. Then, the arborists can help you administer and determine what twig girdler control measurements you should take.
The female girdlers lay their eggs after the cutting process is done. They carefully insert them slightly into the wood or singly beneath the bark, usually near a bud scar. There can be up to 40 eggs per twig, but it usually varies from 3 to 8. Each female can deposit up to 200 eggs, and it will take only about 3 weeks to hatch.
The main goal is to eliminate the twig girdle beetle and the eggs they planted. Also, it would be ideal if you check other trees in the area for twig girdlers too. If you decide to get help from a tree service, you will be provided with a health care maintenance program that will make sure you don’t have to deal with twig girdlers in the future.
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Symptoms
Trees such as hickory, oak, persimmon, and pecan are usually the most common targets for twig girdlers. The first signs you will notice are dead tips on branches. You will know you’re dealing with twig girdlers if the branches look as they’ve been cut by a beaver. In most cases, girdled limbs fall to the ground, but they are usually not a threat to other healthy trees in Fort Worth. If you, however, are aware that your trees are currently fighting some kind of bacteria or fungus, make sure to remove the fallen branches.
It takes about 3-4 weeks for beetle larvae to hatch. They continue growing and feeding off the tree until next summer. Expect them to pupate in late August or early September, which is also when the new adults show up.
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Solution and Treatment
As mentioned above, remove the fallen branches if they pose a threat to other healthy trees in the area. In addition, come up with a regular pruning plan with some of the tree services Texas to reduce the possibility of twig girdlers infesting your trees again. Your main goal should be maintaining the health of your trees throughout the whole year, and you can achieve that by consulting with your local arborist.
In addition to pruning and removing branches, liquid nutrients will usually be injected into the root zone to help trees recover from damage. However, your focus should be on removing and discarding branches with larvae.
Sometimes insecticides are necessary to prevent heavy infestations, but there’s no need for them in natural forest stands. Keeping twig girdler populations low is important, and desiccation of the eggs has shown as the best solution for twig girdler control.
FAQ
Q: How do I get rid of twig Girdlers?
A: The best way to get rid of twig girdlers in Fort Worth is to remove the fallen and infested twigs during the fall, winter, and spring and burn them and get rid of eggs. Sometimes, insecticides need to be used to prevent damage from heavy infestations, but they are usually avoided.
Q: What is a Twig Girdler?
A: Twig girdlers in Fort Worth are small, long-horned beetles with long antennae. They are about an inch long and they lay their eggs on the hardwood. The cuts they make are very similar to the ones that beavers do, and they use them to develop an environment for their eggs.
Local Tree Experts Overview
Usually, you can get rid of the twig girdle beetle pretty easily. All you have to do is to remove the infested twigs and be careful not to miss any. However, don’t hesitate to consult with your local arborist to get help diagnosing and coming up with a plan to remove twig girdlers. Think about what you can do to prevent twig girdlers from infesting your beautiful trees in the future!
