Tree Insecticides: When to Use Them to Prevent Pests in North Texas

Date September 14, 2021

Author TreeNewal Staff

So, you’ve noticed some insects on your trees and shrubs, and you’re wondering what to do about them. Before you reach for that catch-all insecticide that’s going to exterminate everything in your yard, there are some things you need to understand about insects commonly found on trees and shrubs in North Texas, how insecticides work, and when to use them.

Types of tree pests: the good, the bad, the ugly

You need to know that not all insects are harmful to trees, and some are even beneficial. Pollinators like bees and butterflies, for example, are insects you want around your yard and garden. Plus, not all the harmful pests that infest your trees will be fatal to their health in small numbers. Here are the top 10 pests in North Texas you need to be concerned about:

  • Aphids
  • Borers
  • Tent caterpillars & bagworms
  • Spider mites
  • Scale insects
  • Bark beetles
  • Lace bugs
  • Whiteflies
  • Weevils
  • Leaf beetles

Why you should put off using insecticides whenever possible

Even in a small yard, the natural environment strikes a fragile balance that can easily be knocked sideways if not managed properly. Many of the insecticides marketed for use in residential areas are designed to exterminate everything that comes into contact with them — even the bugs you don’t intend to kill. Some insects are beneficial because they are predators of harmful insects. Ladybugs, for example, eat aphids. So killing the ladybugs in your yard could lead to an aphid infestation. Wasps are also predators that help control the populations of harmful pests like caterpillars and whiteflies, keeping the natural balance of the environment intact. Besides all of that, insecticides can be toxic to humans and pets if not used properly. One of the biggest issues with insecticides is that they can lead to toxins coming into our water systems through water run-off. A knowledgeable, certified arborist will know which products to use only to kill the insects causing harm while preserving the ones that are beneficial to your yard.

What are some other possible methods?

In some cases, you can use other methods to control pest infestations. You can often manage the infestation with aphids by spraying or washing them off the tree with soapy water. When their numbers are low with scale insects, you can prune the infected branches or rub the insects and pick them off by hand. With tent caterpillars and webworms, you can prune the branches where the worms have created their web. With bagworms, you can pick their conical bags off by hand and dispose of them. Sometimes it’s possible to purchase eggs for predator insects to help keep populations of tree pests under control. If you think your tree has a pest infestation, do a little research to see if you can determine which pests are attacking your tree and what tips and tricks are available for controlling them. If the infestation is out of hand, however, you should call a certified arborist to help. If left unattended, most pest infestations can eventually kill your trees or shrubs. Even if they don’t kill them, they will weaken your trees or shrubs and make them vulnerable to other possible issues.

Prevention is the best treatment.

When a tree is in optimal health, it’s significantly less likely to be attacked by pests or diseases. Hence, one of the best things you can do for your trees is to boost their health through proper tree care practices, such as routine watering, correct pruning techniques, and soil conditioning. TreeNewal offers a special blend that we highly recommend to all our customers to boost their trees’ health. It uses three products that are proven to increase the growth and vitality of your trees and shrubs. Although it’s beneficial for all trees and shrubs, it’s beneficial for trees experiencing stress. Our blend uses the biochar brand VITAL Blend 5M, a plant-derived, organic soil enhancement product that charges the soil. The blend also includes humic and fulvic acids, high amounts of Active Carbon, and over 55 micronutrients which improve your tree’s metabolism, nutrient intake, and development. The biochar and humic acid are beneficial in remediating compacted soils. It also includes MitoGrow, a rooting hormone, stimulating and promoting root hair growth in your trees and shrubs. This time-tested blend is a natural plant growth stimulator designed to boost your tree’s ability to absorb nutrients and develop a deeper, stronger root system, bark, and canopy.

Why you should hire a certified arborist to help

Sometimes there aren’t any other options, and using an insecticide is the only way to save your trees or shrubs from a pest infestation that has gotten out of hand. We strongly suggest you reach out to our team if your tree has a pest infestation so our certified arborists can help you navigate the issue. An ISA Certified Arborist will assess your tree and identify the type of pest that’s infesting it and the root cause behind the infestation. They’ll be able to recommend a comprehensive tree care plan to bring your tree back to full health. If they think that plan should include an insecticide, they will know which one to use and how to use it safely and effectively so that it doesn’t cause more issues than fixes.

TreeNewal’s ISA Certified Arborists are pest and insecticide experts.

If you think your tree has a pest infestation, call our team of pest and disease experts. Our ISA Certified Arborists are extremely knowledgeable about pests in North Texas and how to control their populations. They are also well-versed in the available treatments, including the use of insecticides. Because applying insecticides can be dangerous, we strongly recommend leaving this task to a team that’s extensively trained in insect and disease management. TreeNewal offers a full range of expert tree care services and hires only the best tree surgeons Texas has to offer. We are passionate about tree health care and helping property owners in Dallas-Fort Worth prolong the lives of their trees and shrubs. Besides pest and disease control, TreeNewal offers other services, such as tree trimming and pruning, air spade and root aeration, soil conditioning, and much more. If your tree is past the point of saving, our team of tree care experts can handle the task of branch, tree, or trunk removal. Our team is well-equipped to stop the further spread of pest infestations or tree diseases and safely dispose of any infected debris. For more information, go to our website at treenewal.com. To set up an appointment, call us at tel:(817) 592-6846

To learn more about Tree Insecticides: When to Use Them to Prevent Pests in North Texas, TX, call our Argyle and Southlake-based teams

at tel:(817) 592-6846 or send us a message.

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