Is anyone experiencing else twig borers in their maples? I have a small nursery and found them in my rootstock. I checked my property and found a few trees that were affected as well. I'd appreciate hearing about anyone else's experiences in this department.
Pictures would help but we have had an invasive Ambrosia beetle show up in central alabama and they seem to love pinky sized japanese maple stems, styrax and dogwoods to name a few. They leave a tiny hole with some evidence if you look closely before it is too late. I am no bug expert but try looking these little guys up. Justin
I have not bud desease, only cheymatobies... There is many species able to do that; perhaps one Proteoteras (?) aesculana is most well known. Research google: (with two maps). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteoteras_aesculana http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Proteoteras+aesculana&guide=Moth&cl=US/CT http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?search=Proteoteras+moffatiana http://bugguide.net/node/view/112221/bgimage
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note111/note111.html I think these are what have showed up in my little nursery last year. Have not taken any to auburn university to be identified but have been told by a nurseryman and plant pathologist that's is what I have. Only took bout 1 to 2 percent of my potted plants and none in landscape.
-Xylosandrus crassiuculus , distributed throughout the the States, is a Scolitinae, syn= Xyleborus, is potentialy a serious pest. (in Europe we have equivalent in landescape and orchard) -Proteoteras twig borers are less dangerous.
Our local plant pathologist said they were a beetle twig borer (rather than moth) with a life cycle like that of the ambrosia beetle. He couldn't specify which borer it was. I've attatched some photos that were taken last November. There is a localized swelling of the stem, with white spots or striations and a hole or scab. Sometimes there's a grey green wash over the medium green of the stem as well. The white spots and striations are due to sap seeping to the surface (because of the swelling) and drying. I've taken a slash and burn approach, but if they come back year after year this could be really bad.
Same injury and size stems as I am seeing. Was told the larva hatch in february here so local control would be possible if you looked at every seedling and small tree with magnifying glass before then. They preferred some other ornamentals to my maples at least and I was unable to literally burn mine until late February. Good luck. Justin
