Shot hole borers are a huge problem for trees all over the world. Shot hole borers are kind of like termites, but specifically, they are beetles that create holes in tree trunks. They are mostly found in the United States and Asia. They reproduce by laying their eggs inside trees where pupae develop, which then turn into adult shot hole borer beetles. They feed off of sap from within the tree, which can lead to interesting things happening with branches along with other problems that may arise.
If you think your tree might have shot-hole borers, here's how you can identify them:
• Closely examine the bark and branches on your trees (or trees in your neighborhood or property). If you notice small, round or oval holes in the bark and branches, with sawdust present around the opening of the hole, it's likely that shot-hole borers are to blame. Shot-hole borers create these holes by chewing through the bark and into woody areas of a tree; this is why you'll see sawdust around the opening of the hole.
• Shot-hole borer beetles (and their larvae) like to chew on larger trees, such as oak and maples, but they can also affect smaller plants. Shot-hole borer beetles aren't picky; if your tree has enough sap running through its veins for them to survive off of, then they'll take it! They are the worst during the spring and summer months because that's when they're most active.
• They chew through trees to lay their eggs, which hatch into larvae that burrow further into the tree. They also emerge from pupae installed inside trees; these pupae create more shot-hole borer beetles, which leads to even more shot holes in your tree or other plants.
• They eat so much of a tree's sap that branches don't get enough water and die off. Symptoms you should look for include wilting leaves on branch tips, dead twigs/branches along dark sap stains around the entry point of the shot hole borer.
Shot-hole borers are hard to get rid of once they've infested a tree, but there are some steps you can take to prevent them from becoming an issue in your yard or neighborhood. First off, watch out for any possible sources close by that might be attracting shot-hole borers! They are typically located higher up on trees because they need to find sap at the top of a tree's branches. Shot holes are also more likely to appear during spring and summer, because this is when shot hole borers are most active, so it's important that you don't plant trees close together if you live in particularly hot areas. Shot holes aren't just cosmetic; they're detrimental to trees.
If you think you have a tree shot hole borer infestation, please do not hesitate to contact us for assistance. We have the expertise and knowledge necessary to help get your trees back on track. Thanks for reading!
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