Insect and Disease Control

Diseased Trees Are a Common Place in Central Wisconsin

If a sick tree is left untreated, it can become a hazard for your property or you might simply lose your beloved tree. As licensed tree experts, we can quickly identify the cause of sickness in your tree. Once we have diagnosed the problem, we have treatment programs to save infected trees and prevent further infection to neighboring trees. We can also perform preventative treatments to healthy trees if nearby trees are infected. Treatment programs can include pruning, soil fertilization, insecticide treatment or fungicide treatment depending on the issue.

There Are Three Specific Tree Diseases That Are Very Common in the Central Wisconsin Area:

Oak Wilt

Oak Wilt is a fungal disease that is very common in South and Central Wisconsin. It affects both white and red oaks but symptoms can vary between the two species. The disease spreads by connected or grafted root systems with other infected trees or by insects carrying the fungus on them. Symptoms can include wilt, defoliation, leaf discoloration and eventual death of the tree. It can be difficult to tell if an oak tree has Oak Wilt just by looking at it, so it’s best to call out an experienced tree professional to diagnose the issue if you suspect your tree is sick. Treatment is done by injecting fungicide into the tree. The other method for treatment is to create root barriers to prevent spreading to other trees. This is done by using a vibrating root plow to dig a trench in order to separate root connections.

Emeral Ash Borer

Emerald Ash Borer is invasive jewel beetle from Asia that was first discovered in the United States in 2002 and is widely seen in Central Wisconsin. They can be identified by a bright green, metallic skin and are about a third of an inch long. Ash trees are infected by the females laying eggs in the crevices of bark. When the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the meat underneath the bark and tunnel throughout the tree. Symptoms can be seen in trees by exit holes in the bark that are created when adults emerge from underneath, and also from S shaped tunneling that appears underneath the bark. Treatment is performed with repeated insecticide application. If Emerald Ash Borer is in the area or in nearby trees, preventive maintenance can also be done by applying insecticides proactively, which is very effective in preventing infection.

Dutch Elm Disease

Dutch Elm Disease is a fungus that is native to Asia and has been in the United States since the 1920s. It is spread by the Elm Bark Beetle, which feeds on Elm Trees and spread spores, and also by connecting root systems to other infected trees. Symptoms include yellow or brown leaves that curl up and also by small bore holes in the bark caused by the beetle. Treatment is done by pruning diseased branches and also by fungicide application to the tree. Spread of the disease can be prevented if neighboring trees are infected by mechanical separation of the roots by trenching to prevent fungus from spreading through root grafts.