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Viburnum Leaf Beetle: New Invasive Species

Resources: Tree Problems

Adult Viburnum Leaf Beetle Damage

Viburnum Leaf Beetle, Pyrrhalta viburni, is a new invasive species that is making its way down the East Coast and could wreak havoc on both native and imported species of Viburnum in DC, Maryland, and Northern VA. Both the larvae and adult beetles feed on foliage creating severe damage and eventually killing the plant. The good news is that Viburnum Leaf Beetles will only infest Viburnums. The bad news is that Viburnums are very popular and commonly used as a landscape plant because of their showy flowers, berries, and fragrance.  

The Viburnum Leaf Beetle is an invasive beetle from Europe that was first found in Upstate New York in 1996. Since then it’s spread to Maine, Vermont, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and most recently Western Maryland in 2014. Although it has not yet been officially spotted in Virginia or DC, researchers warn that it’s a matter of time before homeowners start spotting these on their property in VA and DC as well. Our Arborist suggest keeping an eye out for signs of Viburnum Leaf Beetles and take steps to prepare your property to be resistant to this invasive pest. 

Species of Viburnum That Are Highly Susceptible:

Arrowwood viburnums, Smooth witherod viburnum, European cranberrybush viburnum, American cranberrybush viburnum, Chinese viburnum, Taiwanese viburnum, Rafinesque viburnum.

Species of Viburnum That Are Susceptible:

Mapleleaf viburnum, Wayfaring tree viburnum, Rusty blackhaw, Southern black-haw, Sargent viburnum, Wright viburnum

Species of Viburnum That Are Resistant:

Dawn viburnum, Koreanspice viburnum, David viburnum, Judd viburnum, Doublefile viburnum, Leatherleaf viburnum, Tea viburnum, Siebold viburnum. 

Signs Of Viburnum Leaf Beetle:

Both larvae and adult beetles feed on the foliage of Viburnum creating severe damage and eventually killing the plant. The Larvae tend to skeletonize the leaves while adults create oblong holes. Keep an eye out for the symptoms and signs below:

  • Skeletonized Leaves (Typically May-June)
  • Oblong Holes In Leaves (Typically June-September)
  • Adult Beetles on Leaves (brown and about ¼ inch in length)
  • Egg Masses (Dark Caps On Twigs & Stems)
  • Defoliation
  • Overall Decline In Health
  • Larvae on Leaves
  • Egg Masses - Viburnum Leaf Beetle
    Egg Masses
  • Larvae Feeding Damage
  • Viburnum Leaf Beetle Defoliation
    Defoliation From Viburnum Leaf Beetle
  • Adult Viburnum Leaf Beetle
    Adults Feeding
  • Adult Viburnum Leaf Beetle Damage
    Adult Feeding Damage

How To Treat Viburnum Leaf Beetle:

TREATMENT:

Insecticides: Once infested, Arborists can use insecticides to combat and manage the Viburnum Leaf Beetle population.

Pruning:If egg masses are spotted early, we may be able to prune them out of the plant before they hatch and cause damage. If the infestation is too severe pruning may not be an option and insecticides may need to be used. 

PREVENTION:

Koreanspice viburnum
Koreanspice viburnum

Resistant Species: Since homeowners have time to prepare for this invasive species we suggest you only invest in Viburnum species that are resistant to this invasive pest. By planting resistant species on your property you will skip the headache of having to deal with Viburnum Leaf Beetles when they start infesting plants in the area. Viburnum Leaf Beetle resistant species include Dawn viburnum, Koreanspice viburnum, David viburnum, Judd viburnum, Doublefile viburnum, Leatherleaf viburnum, Tea viburnum, and Siebold viburnum.

Overall Health: If you have a species of Viburnum on your property that is susceptible to this pest you should make sure to keep your property healthy overall. Keeping your plants healthy will help reduce the risk of infestation and reduce the risk of the plant dying from an infestation. To keep your VIburnum and other plants healthy invest in a Canopy Protection Plan. 

Preventative Treatment: Once the insect is confirmed in our area, your Arborist may suggest you use preventative insecticide treatments to prevent infestation as well. 

If you spot signs of Viburnum Leaf Beetle on your Viburnums or notice any insect activity on your other trees and shrubs, give us a call. Our Arborists can meet with you to help diagnose this issue or any other issues on your property and create a treatment plan that meets your needs. To meet with one of our Arborists give us a call at 703-573-3029 or book an appointment through our online booking system. 

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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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