Prevent Borer Damage

Borers are the larvae of certain beetles or moths. Depending on type, some adults plant eggs in the bark while others actually bore into the tree. You may notice "saw dust" in areas where borers are tunneling inside or wounds where sap is marking entry holes. Areas above the infested area will die back as the flow of water and nutrients is disrupted. While often associated with tree death, borers are most often a secondary issue. Borer damage is usually found in new plantings and trees damaged by drought, sun scorch, or other injury. The sap flow on a healthy tree is usually enough to push the borer out when it tries to tunnel in. Since there is no good way to treat borers once they get into the wood, it is very important to help your trees avoid stress or injury. Be sure to water trees and shrubs when we have drought conditions, mulch around trees to conserve moisture, and avoid damage from mowers and weed eaters. Our tree and shrub care will also be valuable as we limit stress from insects and disease and provide the proper fertilization for good health. If you have questions or concerns, please call or contact us.