hi i have a problem with me birch tree i think its bronze birch borer but im not sure because it had orange stains on the bark and it actually looks like someone shot the tree with a paint ball gun (sorry if im not giving u a good enough pciture) but i dont think its birch brone borer. there r no bumps on the bark what is this i know its a bug of some kind but what i dont know????
Hi If orange spots are sap leaking from the tree, still might be bronze birch borer. Look closely for a d shaped hole underneath the coloration (scrape/cut carefully with a knife). Also look at the crown(top) of the tree for defoliation. If it is losing it's top leaves, how much is lost will tell you if you can save the tree or not. Could be recent infestation and so wouldn't have the bumps in the bark. Harry
The standard cure is to put mothballs around, but not touching, the trunk and cover with a light mulch like pine bark. You have to renew the mothballs twice a year because they sublimate to gas which drives the borers away.
If for some reason the moth balls don't work, and if it is a bronze birch borer, then an easy (but more expensive) solution would be a product with Merit (Imidacloprid) such as Bayer Advanced 12 month Tree & Shrub Insect Control.
