Hello, I Moved into a place off North Timberline Road, Fort Collins in May. Didn't get the sprinkler turned on, tree started looking pretty bad especially foliage on upper branches by late September/early October. The drought during early season may not have been the cause, perhaps the tree was already going to have a problem.
I was told by a tree service company that may have looked at the tree it was lilac ash borer. I looked on the map provided in the bulletins(may have been dated) while searching the data base for an answer, and read a couple other articles neither of these answered my questions:
How to tell the difference between a lilac ash borer and an emerald ash borer? Does it matter in treatment? Is it possible to be rid of the borers? Will I have to treat every other year?
Paid True lawn services to inject fertilizer into the drip line area in the ground around the tree. They have a. 5 & 7 treatment plan. I wasn't there for the first and the second sounds scammy. Some oil treatment sprayed on the tree and leaves (which were the first in the neighborhood to come down) to leave a waxy substance on the branches to suffocate the mites. Now I don't know I have mites and don't know if this is going to suffocate larvae. What stage would larvae be at. How long is the life cycle of the borer's?
The next two treatments are insecticide spraying in the spring and fertilizer. I like anyone else, do not like insecticides. I do not like this tree, perhaps I should get a different tree. I wasn't planning on uprooting a tree. I do love an evergreen tree over deciduous tree. It is a north facing exposure. I believe one insecticide is put directly into the trunk.
Knew a little about pine beetles which seem to be the same type of bug, eats at the Cambian of the tree eventually kills the tree. has to be super cold for a long time to freeze the bugs, they can have more than one hatching as we are a warming climate. easily spreads, especially in wind.
I'm willing to spend some money to have the tree sprayed twice but not without hard evidence this is the way to attempt to save the tree and control infestation in the FTC area. If it's a losing battle, I would replace with a lodgepole pine, Doug Fir or Spruce.
Any information is helpful.
Kind regards,