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RTEC Treecare

Expert Tree Care in the DC Metro Area | Call 703-573-3029 to talk to a Tree Care Expert.

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Ambrosia Beetle Attacking Weak Trees

Resources: Tree Problems

Ambrosia Beetle 3The Ambrosia Beetle is a destructive wood-boring insect that preys on weak trees, bringing with it a deadly fungus that destroys the tree’s vascular system, ultimately killing the tree.  since this is the time of year Ambrosia Beetles will begin to enter trees around the DC Metro Area.

Ambrosia Beetles enter trees by boring through the tree’s bark. Strong, healthy trees are able to push out sap and clog these holes; however, weaker trees don’t have the vigor for this and don’t put up much resistance. Once in the weakened trees, these beetles excavate a system of tunnels in the wood and introduce a symbiotic ambrosial fungus. This fungus is what the beetles feed on and is what damages the tree. The ambrosial fungus clogs the Xylem, a vascular tissue that transfers water and nutrients from the roots of the tree to the trunk and canopy. Once clogged the tree will not receive the nutrients and water it needs to survive and will ultimately die.

Ambrosia Beetles Target: Weak trees stressed by soil compaction, drought, extreme temperatures, other insects, diseases, construction damage, etc.


Symptoms & Signs of Ambrosia Beetles:

Flagging & dieback of entire branches

Ambrosia Beetle

Sawdust looking material at the base of the tree (frass)

Ambrosia beetle 1

Strands of frass or boring dust, resembling fine pencil lead, protruding from tiny holes in the bark

Ambrosia beetle 2


Need Help With Ambrosia Beetles?

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Or Call 703.573.3029


How To Prevent Ambrosia Beetles:

Since Ambrosia Beetles do not feed on the host tree, insecticide treatments are not effective. The most reliable method to beat Ambrosia Beetles is to focus on prevention.

Maintain A Healthy Tree:

Native species of Ambrosia Beetles typically only attack weakened, dying, or dead trees. One way to prevent your tree from becoming a target is to keep it healthy. The best ways to do that is through routine maintenance and inspection including proper mulching, fertilizing, watering, and seasonal treatments.

Mulching: Mulching is an easy and cost-effective way to keep your tree healthy. Mulching helps retain soil moisture, insulates a tree’s roots from the heat, and promotes the development of organic matter. Don’t Make These 5 Mulching Mistakes

Fertilizing: Fertilizing with organic bio-stimulants will re-establish good soil composition, strengthen your tree’s immune system, and act as a multi-vitamin for your tree. Make sure not to use mainstream fertilizers with high nitrogen levels. These store-bought fertilizers can stress mature trees and do more harm than good. Learn More About Fertilization

Watering: In summer, trees and shrubs are faced with high temperatures. Keep them hydrated by watering once a week. To Water: put your hose on a dribble, place it in the critical root zone & leave it for 2-3 hours. Repeat 2-3 times in different places within the critical root zone. Read Our Watering Tips

Bark Sprays:

On top of proper health care, homeowners that have mature trees on their property should invest in preventive borer sprays. These bark sprays will not only prevent Ambrosia Beetles but also other borers that are common in the area.

Remove Infested Trees:

Once your tree has been infested by Ambrosia Beetles, our arborist advise that removing the tree is the best option. By removing the tree and infestation from your property you can help stop the spread of Ambrosia Beetles to other weakened trees on your property.

 

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Google Reviews

Grey Burkhart
Grey Burkhart
March 29, 2022.
Verified
Very professional review of our requirements and an accurate estimate. Showed up on time and were finished quickly. Cleaned up all of the debris and sawdust. Great job all around.
Dennis Bruns
Dennis Bruns
March 8, 2022.
Verified
We have used RTEC Treecare for several years. They do excellent work. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and take great care in explaining the various options available for your particular situation. I highly recommend them.
Annette Iannucci
Annette Iannucci
February 23, 2022.
Verified
We have been using RTEC for years and were very pleased with the recent tree maintenance work they did for us. As always, we got good advice from their arborist Ben,. The crew that did the work is highly skilled, and they did a great job trimming our trees. They worked safely and efficiently, in addition to leaving the yard clean after they finished the work.
Susan Crawford
Susan Crawford
January 26, 2022.
Verified
RTEC was at my house today to removed a large Magnolia that was badly damaged by the recent snow. They did a fantastic job at a very reasonable price. They arrived right on time, worked efficiently and quickly and cleaned up so well it was hard to tell anything have been disturbed. Over the past several years, I have used RTEC for all the services I checked above, and have always been very pleased with their service and professionalism. I also appreciate that they are not eager to take down trees that don't need to come down. In this case, the damage was too extensive for the tree to recover.
Kenton Morgan
Kenton Morgan
January 20, 2022.
Verified
Once again, RTEC has done a great job. The team showed up right on time and performed all the work that we agreed to. They kept us informed as to progress, coordinated with us concerning our maple, and made recommendations concerning ongoing support for our trees. At the end of the day, they thoroughly cleaned up the debris and left our yard in pristine condition. WELL DONE.
Jean Kluttz
Jean Kluttz
January 3, 2022.
Verified
Not our first time but this time was tricky removal of a large dead tree leaning on a healthy tree. Quick response for estimate, good timing to removal, all clear and healthy tree still fine.
Jerry Haggin
Jerry Haggin
December 16, 2021.
Verified
Very good work while ensuring that I was aware of status of my work order and planned completion.
Mike Iger
Mike Iger
December 16, 2021.
Verified
David Roberts
David Roberts
December 15, 2021.
Verified
We’ve used RTEC for many years for tree maintenance and can’t say enough good things about their service. We use them for tree trimming and for regular treatments to maintain our trees’ health and deal with pests and prevent disease. Their arborist Ben has been especially helpful with advice. RTEC also been especially helpful in emergency situations, once coming to cable a massive, heritage oak in our yard right before a hurricane was about to hit. Highly recommend.
Travis Larson
Travis Larson
December 10, 2021.
Verified
RTEC did an excellent job onsite of removing dead branches from our 80+ year old trees, and trimming other growth too close to our home.
Google rating score: 4.8 of 5, based on 185 reviews.

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