Trees in neighborhood succumbing to slimy back covering on leaves, bark - Ask Extension
The tree in my front yard as well as many of my neighbors trees have started swarming with bees/wasps. The trees leaves are turning black, and some o...
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Trees in neighborhood succumbing to slimy back covering on leaves, bark #885473
Asked September 16, 2024, 4:30 PM EDT
The tree in my front yard as well as many of my neighbors trees have started swarming with bees/wasps. The trees leaves are turning black, and some of the more severe cases have bark turning black. There are also lots of white spots showing up on the trees. We are all looking for a solution.
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Expert Response
Your crapemyrtle is infested with Crapemyrlte Bark scale. The white scale is a type of insect that eats the sap from the tree. They then excrete a sticky substance called honeydew. The honeydew grows a fungus called sooty mold and that is the black coating you are seeing.
Crapemyrtle bark scale has shown that they are suppressed by natural predators. You can also follow the link for other management strategies. Scraping or picking off the scale if you can reach them is effective. As a last resort you can hire a certified pesticide applicator if you feel it is necessary to use a chemical pesticide.
Emily
