Payson, Arizona, 7 March 2014
— A very dramatic increase in the distribution of pinyon needle scale, a
complex native insect, was noted in the Payson area in April of 2013.
The insect continued
to spread mainly on seedling and sapling trees in the Alpine Heights,
Rodeo Ranches, and Green Valley Estates areas late last spring. The
insect was first detected in Payson in 2007 and has continued to spread
widely throughout the area (see attached distribution
map).
Due
to unseasonably warm temperatures to date in 2014, the insect is
already active throughout the Payson area. Female pinyon needle scales
have already emerged from the stage on the needles
and are laying their eggs. Their life cycle is about a month ahead of
schedule.
Indicators
of pinyon needle scale infestation include brown needles toward the
back of the branch dotted with the remnants of the scale; these are very
noticeable on infested pinyon pines and
may be mistaken for drought effects on the pines. Other indicators of
infestation are egg masses located at the base of the smaller trees,
often looking like dirty cotton lint, and egg masses found at the base,
trunk, and branch junctures of larger trees.
Previously
heavily infested pinyon pines can be seen in the Round Valley area, Elk
Ridge, Rim View Estates and the Trailwood area in Payson and along the
western boundary of Beaver Valley Estates
north of Payson.
It
is very important that homeowners in the newly infested areas treat
their pinyon pines to reduce the spread of the insect to other trees in
the communities. Homeowners in previously infested
areas should also treat their trees around their homes.
These eggs should be collected and disposed of properly.
Control of this stage of the insect on larger trees involves three steps:
- Step 1: Washing the eggs off branches and trunk with a garden hose equipped with a high pressure nozzle, and allowing eggs and litter one to two days to dry.
- Step 2: Raking eggs, litter and debris out from under the tree.
- Step 3: Disposing of the eggs in plastic garbage bags. Raking may not be practical if heavy brush, rocks or other material is present under the tree. However, washing the eggs off the tree is still recommended.
Removal
of the eggs from your pinyons will be simplified if you have already
treated your vegetation for fire prevention reasons.
Unless
there are local water restrictions, consider slow, deep, and infrequent
watering of your infested pinyons around your home. With a properly
installed and maintained drip system, or with
a soaker hose placed around the dripline of the tree, continue watering until significant precipitation occurs.
Also refer to the following Cooperative Extension brochure for proper watering of your trees:
http://cals.arizona.edu/pubs/
For further information about this insect, contact: Bob Celaya, Forest Health Specialist, Office of the State Forester at (602) 771-1415 in Phoenix:
BobCelaya@azsf.gov or John Richardson, Forest Program Coordinator at 602-771-1420 or
JohnRichardson@azsf.gov
No comments:
Post a Comment