Pest and Disease Control

Pests and diseases can have a disastrous impact on your trees. Routine inspection and early detection and treatment are crucial when it comes to managing tree pests and diseases. If left untreated, they can spread to other trees, cause irreparable damage and lead to the death of your trees. 

The Treemasters team of I.S.A. certified arborists are experts in pest and disease prevention and treatment. They will be able to identify any pest or disease that may be afflicting your trees; working with you to create a treatment plan to save your trees or remove them if removal is necessary.

Common Northern California Tree Pests and Diseases

Several pests and diseases are currently infecting and killing trees in Northern California. Catching these common tree maladies early will help preserve your trees and keep them healthy.

• Sudden Oak Death: Sudden Oak Death has devastated forests in Northern California and kills thousands of oak trees each year. It is important to take preventative measures to stop Sudden Oak Death before it infects and kills your trees.
• Tussock (Gypsy) Moths: The Tussock moths are one of the most invasive species. Their nests will cause the tree to lose leaves or needles. While they do not kill trees, these moths will stress trees, leaving them susceptible to other pests and diseases.
• Pine Pitch Canker: Pine Pitch Canker is a fungal disease that spreads rapidly from boring insects like bark beetles, carrying the disease from one tree to another. Infected trees will have sunken trunk cankers that ooze yellowish resin. 
• Bark Beetles: These small beetles will bore into trees and produce a fungus that interrupts the tree’s circulatory system and can rapidly kill the tree. They can also spread diseases like pine pitch canker from one tree to another. A healthy tree can defend itself from these pests, but a weakened tree due to drought or other environmental factors is susceptible to bark beetles.
• Deer:  Deer are one of the largest tree pests; they are known to eat new growth on your trees and plants, stunting their growth or killing them. To keep deer away, consider adding netting or a tall fence around your trees and plants — or get help from a professional.

Dealing with deer? At Treemasters, we have a variety of cutting-edge and humane deer repellant solutions. Depending on the nature of your property, we may employ ultrasonic sound emitters that cause deer to leave an area, along with conventional spray-on odor and taste repellants, as well as galvanized steel wraps that prevent deer from scraping trees.

Signs of Tree Pests and Disease

You should regularly inspect your trees for signs of pests or disease. Some common signs your tree may be infected include:

• Yellowing or falling leaves or needles

• Spotted leaves

• Silk-like webs on branches

• Sunken cankers

• Holes where beetles have bored into the tree
• Blotches or blemishes on the tree