The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => Urban and Community Forestry => Topic started by: deeker on May 21, 2008, 05:57:08 PM

Title: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: deeker on May 21, 2008, 05:57:08 PM
At least it is sticky like sap.   What can be done for it???   Or my 088 and then the Norwood??
Four trees about 65yrs old, 2 Chinese elm and 2 Siberian elm.
Tired of scraping it off the windows and paint jobs..Suggestions??  Any spray that would help?

Thanks

Kevin Davis
Ruff Cutts
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: deeker on June 01, 2008, 01:09:00 AM
It is aphids.  Bought a couple bags of lady bugs to eat 'em.  Will see the outcome soon..the other option is to spray the tall huge trees.  With dishsoap and water.  And or pestacide.
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: Phorester on June 01, 2008, 09:02:39 AM

Yep, you got it.  Aphids.  A hard insect to deal with since they can have more than one generation a summer. You can get rid of every one and more will be right back a couple of weeks later.
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: deeker on June 01, 2008, 01:21:49 PM
Your not cheering me up.  Will the Lady bugs kill the little buggers???  Time to trim the trees way back?  Or should they hit my sawmill?
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: Phorester on June 02, 2008, 03:26:41 PM

All I can say is that they will be subject to aphids every year all summer long.

The ladybugs are predators, the aphids are prey.  Like any predator-prey relationship, the prey population has to first build up before the predator population builds up enough to eat a bunch.  So you will still have a honeydew problem even if the ladybugs were considered a success. 

Trimming the trees back won't solve the problem.   Maybe if you could just not put anything underneath the trees, it would be no problem.  But if they are dripping this honeydew on your house, if they are over your driveway, etc., you either have to live with the honeydew , spray the aphids, or get rid of the trees.
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: deeker on June 02, 2008, 04:43:27 PM
Quote from: Phorester on June 02, 2008, 03:26:41 PM

All I can say is that they will be subject to aphids every year all summer long.

The ladybugs are predators, the aphids are prey.  Like any predator-prey relationship, the prey population has to first build up before the predator population builds up enough to eat a bunch.  So you will still have a honeydew problem even if the ladybugs were considered a success. 

Trimming the trees back won't solve the problem.   Maybe if you could just not put anything underneath the trees, it would be no problem.  But if they are dripping this honeydew on your house, if they are over your driveway, etc., you either have to live with the honeydew , spray the aphids, or get rid of the trees.

What would I spray them with??? 
And how often?

Thanks

Kevin
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: Phorester on June 05, 2008, 09:45:11 AM
Check with your local Extension agent.  What is recommended in Virginia might not work or be legal in your State.

As far as how often to spray, there is no set time.  Basically it's whenever you see them building up on your trees again.  You might get by with one spray early in the  summer or have to do it every couple weeks all summer long.
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: ADAMINMO on June 05, 2008, 10:03:43 AM
Hope those lady bugs dont pose a problem for you later. We have a big problem with lady bugs here.They infest the house in the fall and stay till spring. You can't get rid of them either. They stink to high heavens if you smash one and they are murder on a shop vac.You can go through the house and suck up every lady bug you see and within an hour it is like you didn't do anything. They keep coming out of the cracks in the walls and ceiling light fixtures. They are nasty critters.
Good Luck!!
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: beenthere on June 05, 2008, 10:22:13 AM
Quote from: ADAMINMO on June 05, 2008, 10:03:43 AM
Hope those lady bugs dont pose a problem for you later. We have a big problem with lady bugs here.They infest the house in the fall and stay till spring. You can't get rid of them either. They stink to high heavens if you smash one and they are murder on a shop vac.You can go through the house and suck up every lady bug you see and within an hour it is like you didn't do anything. They keep coming out of the cracks in the walls and ceiling light fixtures. They are nasty critters.
Good Luck!!

Adam
Those are the Asian beetles, that look a bit like a lady bug....but are not.  :) :)
Title: Re: Elm trees dripping sap
Post by: thedeeredude on June 30, 2008, 09:31:43 PM
Quote from: beenthere on June 05, 2008, 10:22:13 AM
Quote from: ADAMINMO on June 05, 2008, 10:03:43 AM
Hope those lady bugs dont pose a problem for you later. We have a big problem with lady bugs here.They infest the house in the fall and stay till spring. You can't get rid of them either. They stink to high heavens if you smash one and they are murder on a shop vac.You can go through the house and suck up every lady bug you see and within an hour it is like you didn't do anything. They keep coming out of the cracks in the walls and ceiling light fixtures. They are nasty critters.
Good Luck!!

Adam
Those are the Asian beetles, that look a bit like a lady bug....but are not.  :) :)

Ya mean stink bugs?  Thats what we call em up here.  And yes they are a pain the butt.  I hunt for them in  the workshop, ya kill one, 5 more are buzzing around.