Honey locust bark - Ask Extension
Hi, we have recently noticed that a portion of our honey locust bark has fallen off. There is clear insect damage. I’ve included a picture of the un...
Knowledgebase
Honey locust bark #860404
Asked March 03, 2024, 4:14 PM EST
Hi, we have recently noticed that a portion of our honey locust bark has fallen off. There is clear insect damage. I’ve included a picture of the underside of the piece of bark as well as a picture of the tree itself. Thanks for any help identifying this issue! Is this a reason for concern and if so what steps should I take to address it? Thanks!
Saginaw County Michigan
Expert Response
There are several insects that could have caused this kind of damage to your tree. Have you seen any holes in the trunk that are more or less "D shaped"? This would be opposed to holes that are more or less circular. How healthy does the tree seem to be overall? Did it seem less vigorous last year? Was the foliage discolored? Did it show any symptoms that would indicate that it is under stress? Examples would include yellow foliage, fewer leaves or blossoms that is typical, or bleeding sap.
Thanks for your reply! I haven’t noticed any problems with the foliage in the last year. When looking closer to the bark, I do however notice that there is an area that looks like it has some kind of fungi? I’ve attached a picture. As for d shaped exit holes, there aren’t any near the area where the bark fell off as far as I can see, however, I did find an area with exit holes of some kind on an area where the tree was previously pruned. I’ve attached a picture of that as well.
Hope this provides some additional insight! Thanks!
On Mar 7, 2024, at 1:11 PM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
Honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) is susceptible to some canker diseases. However, I am not sure what you are seeing is a major concern at this time. The holes in the end of the pruned branch look like boring beetles that typically attack dead wood and they are likely not a threat to the tree's health. It wouldn't hurt to have the tree evaluated by a certified arborist. You can find a certified arborist for your area by using the Find an Arborist tool on the website for the International Society of Arboriculture here: https://www.treesaregood.org/findanarborist
Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it!
On Mar 13, 2024, at 9:10 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:
