aboriginal to Korea , Japan and China , the Japanese maple ( Acer palmatum ) is prized for its leafage that turns chickenhearted , orangish , ruby or purple in descent . depend on the cultivar chosen , it lay out in height from 15 to 25 infantry and normally has a round shape . pest such as aphid and spider mites are attracted to this deciduous tree diagram and cause severe terms until see chemically , biologically or culturally .

Pest Identification

Scales are stretch or round insects with a flat or humped bodies and a stubble - alike mouth - part through which they extract fluid . Adult male , though very rare , have one set of wing . Aphids are lilliputian pear - shaped insects with soft bodies , long legs , antennae and slender mouths through which they puncture leaves , stems and other flora parts and suck fluid . aphid are lily-livered , green , brown , black or cherry-red depending on the plants they feed on .

Tree Infestation Symptoms

Scales form masses of cotton - like white substance on the depleted side of stems and branches of infect Japanese maple tree . Leaves begin to wilt , turn lily-livered and drop suddenly . Infected bark snap and secrete a sticky gum - like substance . Soft scale secrete abundant measure of a sticky honeydew melon exudate that attracts ants . These ants protect the pests from natural enemies . tumid population of aphids induce leaves to release yellow-bellied , curl and distort , and shoot to stunt in ontogeny . They too produce a awkward honeydew melon .

Cultural Control

ply Japanese maple trees appropriate irrigation so they balk scale damage . Snip off infested arm and sprig to see to it spread , and prune branches to open up the canopy and allow sunlight to enter . This increases mortality pace of aphids and scale due to heat exposure . Place sticky material around the trunk of the maple tree to foreclose ants from go up and going towards the honeydew , or use ant interest or baits . Do not exceed fertilizer program rates , as unreasonable nitrogen prefer aphid procreation .

Chemical Control

Apply commercially available horticultural oils over large shell infestations . Spray equally over the entire surface , including the lower sides of leaves . covering overrun leafage with neem crude or insecticidal soap diluted in water to remove aphid . Repeat lotion daily to ensure complete eradication .

Biological Control

Predatory insects such as jot , glitch and mallet , and parasitic wasps include species of Coccophagus , Metaphycus and Aphytis help control scales biologically if homeowners prefer not to use chemical substance control methods . Various species of parasitic wasps and predators such as lacewing , lady beetle and syrphid fly control aphid .

References

…

…