Hi there. I'm new to this forum and maple keeping. My wife and I sadly lost a baby a couple of months ago and to remember our loss we bought a red Japanese mapple. So the tree has great centimental value to us so want to give it the best care possible. It looks as though it is just about to show its leaves but on inspection each little bud is covered in bugs. I want to make sure they wont harm the tree and if they will remove them. Can someone help identify the pests and suggest a treatment at all. Regards Dan
Those look to be aphids. The can be sprayed off with a (gentle) jet from your garden hose OR rubbed off and crushed with a gentle pinch that doesn't crush your new leaves. Often I see ants, then find the aphids on the underside of some leaves and on the growth tip of a particular branch where the ants are running to and fro. Ants are aphid farmers. All in all a relatively minor pest, but if your infestation gets out of hand, insecticidal remedies for scale also work for aphids.
Hi Dan, First, so very sorry to hear of your loss. I just wanted to add, be careful of using any insecticide until the leaves are out and have hardened off a bit. If you spray new growth with chemicals, you can easily stunt the growth for the entire year. You might look to see if there is a soap available also. If there are ants, an ant trap at the base of the maple can help. Best wishes, -Emery
