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Noticing These Bugs? What Saproxylic Insects Mean for Your Trees

Resources: Environmental Services

Decaying wood in a forest with plants growing on it.
Dead wood is the ideal home (or snack!) for many insects.

For the common nature lover, the death of a tree is a sorrowful moment. For these wood-munching insects – it’s a necessity. Saproxylic insects are invertebrates that depend on dead and decaying wood for their survival. Some of these insects consume the wood while others burrow into it to build their nests or to lay larvae. What may seem like pests to us are actually beneficial insects that aid in a balanced ecosystem.   

Similar to other decomposers, saproxylic insects play a vital role in the food chain and provide crucial ecosystem services. The breakdown of dead wood by insects or fungi allows nutrients to make their way up the food chain. Unlike harmful aphids or scale bugs, most saproxylic bugs do not warrant treatment. The truth is, these insects will not kill your tree, they only show up once the tree is already declining. The presence of these bugs can be a great bioindicator of your tree’s health!

Common Saproxylic Bugs 

Let’s get familiar with some of the most common saproxylic insects that we may find on our trees. . 

Carpenter Ants eating wood.

Carpenter Ants

Contrary to popular belief, carpenter ants do not eat wood. Instead, carpenter ants tunnel through dead wood to create their nests. They create two kinds of nests. There are parent nests, typically in moist decaying wood outside, and satellite nests, which can be found in drier areas – such as doors to your home! To help keep these critters outside and away from damaging indoor wood, be sure to prune back tree branches that overhang or touch your home. That way they cannot travel from infected trees inside.

Passalid beetle on fungus

Beetles

Beetles make up the majority of saproxylic insects. In fact, there are over a thousand species of these wood-loving beetles! These beetles are large with frightening mandibles or horns, like the Bess beetle or stag beetle. They are harmless and rarely cause any trouble for man-made wooden structures such as decks or sheds. 

Termites chewing away at wood.

Termites

Perhaps the biggest nuisance on this list is termites! They can cause the most damage to man-made structures, leaving holes in your home and your wallet. On an average year, termites cause 1 billion to 2 billion dollars in damages to Americans! While most saproxylic species don’t warrant much control, we recommend seeking treatment for these crawlers if you see them around your home.

Carpenter been sitting on a stack of wood.

Carpenter Bees

These lesser-known wood dwellers make their nests in weak wood. Similar to carpenter ants, these pollinators will burrow tunnels to make their nests. You can spot their activity by noting the sawdust outside the entrance of their nests which are guarded by a hovering male bee! Carpenter bees do not live in colonies like carpenter ants, so their effects are less destructive.

RTEC removing a tree with a crane.
Our crew hard at work removing a tree.

What You Can Do About Saproxylic Insects

If you notice a few of these bugs on your trees, there is no need to be alarmed. Remember, these insects have an important role in the ecosystem – seeing a few of them is a good thing! On the other hand, if you are noticing high populations, it is likely an indicator that your tree has significant decay or deadwood present. Unfortunately, if you are seeing that many saproxylic insects, your tree is likely beyond repair. 

At RTEC we never want to take down healthy happy trees, but we would recommend the removal of a tree with significant decay. The longer a tree decays, the more hazardous it can become. This increases the risk of a tree toppling over unexpectedly and can make removal a complex task. Don’t let your dead tree decay further, call us to safely remove it! Other ways to reduce the presence of saproxylic insects on your property include removing stumps and pruning out the dead wood from trees.

Remember, saproxylic insects are not the source of a problem – they are the indicator of a problem! If you want to avoid inviting these hungry bugs into your tree, the best step is to maintain your tree’s health!

Edge of wooden deck overhanging grass

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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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