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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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Crape Myrtles Dripping Sap

Resources: Tree Problems

Do your Crape Myrtles have shiny leaves and drip sap? You’re not alone! Our arborists are getting a lot of calls about trees, Crape Myrtles especially, being coated in sap and dripping it onto walkways, cars, and patio furniture. What most homeowners are surprised to find out is that this substance isn’t actually sap. It’s honeydew (aka insect excrement). Thankfully this nuisance can be easily fixed. Read on to learn more about honeydew, sooty mold, what insect could be causing your problem, and how to solve it.

Honeydew

Honeydew is one of the most common tree care issues we see in the DC Metro Area. Honeydew is the excrement of plant-sucking insects. This sticky substance is usually the first sign homeowners notice of an insect infestation. Many homeowners actually confuse honeydew with sap and only call us because the “sap” is a nuisance. They are usually surprised to hear that the problem they are dealing with is honeydew, which is a sign of an insect infestation.

Honeydew itself will not damage your tree; however, the insect infestation that causes it can weaken your tree over time causing an overall decline in your tree’s health and vitality. With honeydew, you also run the risk of developing Sooty Mold which can cause additional issues.

Sooty Mold

Sooty Mold

As the evening rains and thunderstorms continue, many homeowners will start to see a black substance develop on and/or below their trees that were having honeydew issues. This substance is called sooty mold.

Sooty mold is a fungus that grows on top of honeydew and coats the leaves of your trees to the point where they can no longer absorb sunlight. This interrupts photosynthesis and the tree will not be able to produce the nutrients it needs for survival. Plus it’s unsightly and a nuisance for many homeowners.

What’s Causing This Problem?

Aphids on Crape Myrtles
What Crape Myrtle Aphids Look Like To The Naked Eye

Crape Myrtle Aphids are one of the main causes of honeydew and sooty mood on Crape Myrtle trees. Found throughout May through September, these tiny insects do damage by feeding on the soft tissues and plant sap of Crepe Myrtle leaves. Crepe myrtle aphids reproduce rapidly, especially as the weather gets hotter. This makes it easy for them to quickly grow into a large population that will damage your tree.  

Signs & Symptoms of Crape Myrtle Aphids

  • Drooping Leaves
  • Yellow Spots
  • Black small dots on the underside of the leaves (these are what aphids look like to the naked eye)
  • Honeydew
  • Sooty Mold
  • Ants on the Tree (Ants love the taste of honeydew. Trails of them going up and down the tree signal that honeydew and aphids are present.)

Crape Myrtle aphids are species-specific meaning it only feeds on crepe myrtles. As a homeowner you only need to worry about this type of aphid if you own a Crepe Myrtle; however, there are other types of aphids that prey on other tree species and show similar signs of infestation.

GETTING RID OF APHIDS

Beneficial Insect Release

Organic Control through Beneficial Insects:
Aphids have many natural enemies, including lacewing larvae and ladybugs. We can release these predators on your property in order to control the population of these aphids. This is a great option for homeowners that are worried about chemicals on their property or have kids that would love to be involved in releasing the bugs on the property (while maintaining safe social distancing). Learn more about Beneficial Insect Release.

Traditional Control:
One of our Arborists will be able to craft an insecticide treatment that fits your landscape and kills the aphid infestation. These types of treatments will kill aphids on contact and when they feed on the tree. When not correctly applied these treatments can hurt beneficial insects which is why we advise against DIY home treatments. RTEC’s arborists and plant health care specialists abide by Integrated Pest Management Protocol. This protocol utilizes techniques that help target the intended pest while leaving the majority of the beneficial insect population unharmed.

If you have aphids on your Crape Myrtles book a consultation with an arborist using our online form or by calling 703.573.3029.

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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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