Knowledgebase
Damage to Apple Trees I can't identify #844082
Asked August 03, 2023, 10:58 PM EDT
Hello,
I live in Steamboat Springs CO at exactly 7000ft. I have several Apple Trees including Sweet 16, Honey Crisp, Zester, McIntosh, Haralred, Red Wealthy... recently on ALL the different varieties I have found little elliptical shaped cuts with tree material coming out of them on the small branches. These tress are relatively newly planted, 1 to 2 years. Most the leaves on these branches still look healthy. No insects are seen anywhere. I don't think it's blight, it looks surgical! Maybe a boring/burrowing insect but almost too big and precise of cuts... maybe a bird?? I don't know. I'm hoping it's something you the expert have seen before and could advise me about!! I have attached pictures. Thanks for your time and consideration.
Reuben Smits
Routt County Colorado
Expert Response
Thanks for starting my day off with an unusual one, a question that had me doing some digging. I'm not 100% sure we've found an answer yet, but with a little more sleuthing on your part, I think we can narrow this down.
I suspect that this is cicada damage. I know one doesn't think of cicadas typically in our area, but we do have them. In fact, I happened to see one last year at this time on an aspen at ~7300' and was surprised: I've heard them but have not often seen them. They typically live in Gambel oak areas, but obviously do well in our area on a wider variety of landscapes. They lay their eggs in small branches and the type of damage you're seeing (long rows of these scars) is typical of how they lay their eggs. We have a good Fact Sheet on cicadas that shows a picture of similar damage and explains this further. You can see it here:
https://extension.colostate.edu/docs/pubs/insect/05590.pdf
If you start looking (or more listening) I bet you'll find that you have cicadas on your property.
The only other thing that may cause damage like this that I'm aware of is the Buffalo Treehopper. I admit that I've never seen this insect in our area, but with a changing climate, I'm seeing both plants and insects moving into the area that aren't 'typical.' The treehopper is a smaller insect, and is bright green with a buffalo-type appearance. CSU doesn't actually have good information on this insect as it's not very common here. Penn State Extension does have a Fact Sheet on it, which can be seen here: https://extension.psu.edu/tree-fruit-insect-pest-buffalo-treehopper
Keep looking at (and listening to) these trees and those in your landscape and let me know what you find.
