Borer issue on new Hornbeam

[readc]

Howdy - on my newly collected Hornbeam I noticed some fuzzy wood shavings on the top of the soil dressing. I can't really tell EXACTLY where the borer entered/exited, but it was either the trunk or below the substrate near the roots. I soaked everything with insecticidal soap. Should I be concerned? Should I do anything else? Is this from something boring into the tree or something leaving? Any advise is appreciated.

Supposed to drop into the 20's tonight, so not sure that helps or does nothing, but worth noting. Planning on moving plants into the shed. Thanks.

 

[Cattwooduk]

Pictures? How much shavings are we talking? If there was enough to notice you'd expect a hole you could see in the trunk possibly?
I'f you sawed through the top of the trunk then potted it, sure you haven't brushed some sawdust off the top of the tree onto the soil? Sounds daft but just thinking of possibilities!

 

[rockm]

pictures...Borer activity now is probably INSIDE the tree. Nothing entered, the tree most likely already had it. Not much you can do, unless you are willing to find the hole the borer is using and excavate the wood until you locate him. Insecticidal soap is unlikely to reach the bug who is probably deep inside the tree trunk. Systemic may get him eventually, but it's a slow process. Best way to get him is to hunt him down and kill him physically..

Definitely get that tree into frost free storage for the next few days. Up here in N.Va. we've got at least a week of subfreezing nighttime temps (some as low as 20 F). That is potentially a killer for newly-dug trees.

 

[readc]

Pictures? How much shavings are we talking? If there was enough to notice you'd expect a hole you could see in the trunk possibly?
I'f you sawed through the top of the trunk then potted it, sure you haven't brushed some sawdust off the top of the tree onto the soil? Sounds daft but just thinking of possibilities!

At work now. I will take pictures when I get home tonight. The "shavings" are definitely frass. I haven't done any cutting in weeks on this tree and inspect it every night. I did not inspect the tree well enough to find holes this morning, but will do that tonight. It was a significant pile of frass closer to the edge of the pot and then scattered towards the tree.

 

[readc]

pictures...Borer activity now is probably INSIDE the tree. Nothing entered, the tree most likely already had it. Not much you can do, unless you are willing to find the hole the borer is using and excavate the wood until you locate him. Insecticidal soap is unlikely to reach the bug who is probably deep inside the tree trunk. Systemic may get him eventually, but it's a slow process. Best way to get him is to hunt him down and kill him physically..

Definitely get that tree into frost free storage for the next few days. Up here in N.Va. we've got at least a week of subfreezing nighttime temps (some as low as 20 F). That is potentially a killer for newly-dug trees.

Thanks. I will get the tree in storage for sure.

Should I move this infected tree away from other trees?

What would you do if this was your tree?

 

[readc]

Also, this is what I have used,
Bonide Captain Jack's 32 fl oz Garden Insect Killer

 

[GrimLore]

What would you do if this was your tree?

Borers can be eliminated with a combination of treatments. Use one treatment and rotate chemicals every treatment. These two products work just fine -

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/t...=&gclid=CLai64OhzNICFUpWDQodKUoK6g&sub_id=655
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/dominion-2l-termiticide-concentrate-p-1223.html

It takes a grow season but depending on the plant or plants can be worthwhile.

Grimmy

 

[rockm]

You can use chemicals, but it's time consuming and is a hit or miss option.

If this were my tree, I'd find the hole and use wire to push up into it and hopefully skewer the little bastard. Another option would be to inject insecticide directly into the hole and then dam the hole up with putty or clay...

 

[discusmike]

Those buggers are bad news,lost a trident once,it was dead before I had a chance to treat properly,good luck,bugs love weak trees!

 

[readc]

Borers can be eliminated with a combination of treatments. Use one treatment and rotate chemicals every treatment. These two products work just fine -

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/t...=&gclid=CLai64OhzNICFUpWDQodKUoK6g&sub_id=655
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/dominion-2l-termiticide-concentrate-p-1223.html

It takes a grow season but depending on the plant or plants can be worthwhile.

Grimmy

Well, place down the street from my office had Talstar-P so I've got that prepared and will use it when I get home. Do I spray the substrate and the tree? Says once every 7 days. The guys at the store said i wouldn't need this more than once and should kill the borer quickly. I will also try and locate the hole and ram wire into it.

 

[my nellie]

I have a question which might be a silly one... I'll ask though. How well can a freshly collected tree take the use of chemicals?

 

[jacob letoile]

Talstar is bifenthrin and its not a systemic. Your wasting your time with it for something inside the tree. You need something like imidicloprid which is an upwardly mobile systemic. But given how often we water our trees I doubt there would be time for it to work. To everyone, do your self a favor before using any pesticide, Google "(pesticide name) label" and read the whole thing. You'll save time, money and you will be safer. And you may not loose a tree you thought you were helping.

 

[GrimLore]

Your wasting your time with it for something inside the tree.

That is why I shared the link http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/dominion-2l-termiticide-concentrate-p-1223.html as it is also systemic. The first one http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/t...=&gclid=CLai64OhzNICFUpWDQodKUoK6g&sub_id=655 is not but used in conjunction they protect and kill in and out...

Grimmy

 

[jacob letoile]

Grimmy,
Bifenthrin is a good insecticide, but useless against borers. It won't even protect against the eggs getting deposited as the mother is not on the plant long enough to absorb enough chemical to be effective. As part of a general insect control plan it could be very effective, but not for borers.

My earlier comment was responding to readc's plan to use talstar p when they got home, not to your suggestions, which I'm sad to say I didn't follow the links for until your follow up comment. I didn't even realize you had recommended a bifenthrin product until your follow up comment.

 

[readc]

Grimmy,
Bifenthrin is a good insecticide, but useless against borers. It won't even protect against the eggs getting deposited as the mother is not on the plant long enough to absorb enough chemical to be effective. As part of a general insect control plan it could be very effective, but not for borers.

My earlier comment was responding to readc's plan to use talstar p when they got home, not to your suggestions, which I'm sad to say I didn't follow the links for until your follow up comment. I didn't even realize you had recommended a bifenthrin product until your follow up comment.

The shop also had the dominion 2L. Do I go back an get the 2L also and use both or is that a waste of time?

 

[jacob letoile]

I don't know how well the imidicloprid (dominion) will work, the active ingredient is reasonable but I would be concerned that it would get washed out of the pot before the tree had a chance to take it up. there are imidicloprid products that are injected straight into the tree, but that entails drilling the trunk. If it were my tree, and I was really concerned I would make up a dilute (I don't know how dilute) solution in a bucket and water by submerging the pot and then letting it drain back into the pot for a week. That way I could be reasonably sure the tree had time to take up the active ingredient. I would also be aware that it was an off label use and it was at my own risk...edited to add, there are foliar applied systemics that may be more effective. I'm not sure if imidicloprid is absorbed via the leaves o f not.

 

[readc]

I don't know how well the imidicloprid (dominion) will work, the active ingredient is reasonable but I would be concerned that it would get washed out of the pot before the tree had a chance to take it up. there are imidicloprid products that are injected straight into the tree, but that entails drilling the trunk. If it were my tree, and I was really concerned I would make up a dilute (I don't know how dilute) solution in a bucket and water by submerging the pot and then letting it drain back into the pot for a week. That way I could be reasonably sure the tree had time to take up the active ingredient. I would also be aware that it was an off label use and it was at my own risk...

I don't care about it that much. I am gonna try killing the bug with wire first and if that doesn't work ill just spray some of these chemicals on it and hope for the best. Ill try and inject some too. thanks

 

[rockm]

I don't care about it that much. I am gonna try killing the bug with wire first and if that doesn't work ill just spray some of these chemicals on it and hope for the best. Ill try and inject some too. thanks

Tracking down borers can be a depressing exercise in collected trees. Be prepared to expose significant amounts of dead trunk in the process of removing the thing as you work the wire up and into the trunk. Rarely will you be able to stab the bastard immediately. It can take some digging and the tunnels are NEVER straight.. If they're established themselves inside the trunk, they've been dining on the cambium underneath the bark for a while. That can mean significant areas of the trunk could be dead. That, however, can make it easier to get the borer, since you can chip away at it to get at him.

 

[readc]

Tracking down borers can be a depressing exercise in collected trees. Be prepared to expose significant amounts of dead trunk in the process of removing the thing as you work the wire up and into the trunk. Rarely will you be able to stab the bastard immediately. It can take some digging and the tunnels are NEVER straight.. If they're established themselves inside the trunk, they've been dining on the cambium underneath the bark for a while. That can mean significant areas of the trunk could be dead. That, however, can make it easier to get the borer, since you can chip away at it to get at him.

Shouldn't there be some sign of this type of stress? The tree looked incredibly healthy before i dug it up. Additionally, the section I have in the pot is healthy looking, including the area that I trunk chopped. There is no sign of dead wood, but maybe I just have an untrained eye. I'll take some pictures tonight and post back my findings. I appreciate yall helping out!

 

[rockm]

Shouldn't there be some sign of this type of stress? The tree looked incredibly healthy before i dug it up. Additionally, the section I have in the pot is healthy looking, including the area that I trunk chopped. There is no sign of dead wood, but maybe I just have an untrained eye. I'll take some pictures tonight and post back my findings. I appreciate yall helping out!

It can depend on a lot of things. Might not be extensive damage, might be considerable. Wrinkled bark on trunk sections can be a tell tale sign the underlying cambium has been eaten. This can be a subtle thing on first glance...