Need help with disease on birch tree - Ask Extension
Can you help my identify this pest? Thanks! small insects, maybe 1/8 inch long, translucent to pale green. Yellow and green raised bumps on top of lea...
Knowledgebase
Need help with disease on birch tree #797285
Asked June 22, 2022, 3:01 PM EDT
Can you help my identify this pest? Thanks! small insects, maybe 1/8 inch long, translucent to pale green. Yellow and green raised bumps on top of leaf, with a sugary/sticky looking stuff. White residue on the underside of the leaves, with black specks.
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
This is the work of an aphid-Spiny witchhazel gall aphid. They commonly attack birch trees in June. They do no permanent damage but leave a sticky residue on the underside of leaves. Sometimes all the leaves will fall but the tree produces a new set of leaves. See the following websites for additional information.
1. https://bugguide.net/node/view/1793354/bgimage
2. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/spiny-witchhazel-gall-aphhid
3. https://bygl.osu.edu/node/719
1. https://bugguide.net/node/view/1793354/bgimage
2. https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/spiny-witchhazel-gall-aphhid
3. https://bygl.osu.edu/node/719
