Yuma Pest Blog
Tree pests may not seem like too big of a deal. Sure, they can destroy your beloved oak, but if a tree in your yard is infested with termites? They can’t move from your tree to your house, right? Actually, if you’re not careful, they can. Here are some ways to know if your tree has pests inside of it, and how to have your tree safely removed without pests moving into your home.
Is Your Tree Infested?
It can be tricky to tell if you have termites in your tree, and they’ll never announce their presence to you. If you want to find out, you can take a shovel and dig around the base of your tree near its roots, as this is where they most often gather. Though they mostly prowl underground, you still may be able to see some climbing up the side of the bark, and perhaps even flying termites zipping around. Flying termites, or swarmers, are the termites they come out of the nest to make new colonies. They can usually be seen flying out of clipped branches, so check for small holes near limbs that have been sawn off.
What to do if You Have Pests in Your Tree?
If your tree is infested, your first priority is to keep them from entering your house. Therefore, make sure you trim back all branches that hang near your house, deck, or nearby woodpiles. Burn the branches you cut off, or thoroughly spray them with termiticide to eliminate the risk of spreading. Once that is done, pour termiticide three feet around the perimeter of the tree and two feet up the base of the truck to kill the ones underneath and keep others from coming down. You can place some termite traps on the branches for good measure as well.
How to get Your Tree Removed?
If your tree is too chewed up and the termites still haven’t left, you may have to get your tree removed. Whatever you do, don’t allow it to fall by itself or kick it down, as you can’t know where it will land and you could scare the termites right into your house. Instead, have professionals come and remove it. Let them know that the tree is infested with termites and they will carefully take it apart. It’s a good idea to spray termiticide around the base of your house before this is done, so stragglers don’t wander in. Once it is finished, however, you should be good to go.
Trees are often ignored in the conversation about pest control, since after all, we usually don’t live in trees. However, they are at great risk for infestations, and if we’re not careful, a tree infestation could lead to something worse. For more information, or to receive quality pest control services, give Yuma Pest a call today!