Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 15:48:31 -0400
From: Andrew
Subject: Re: Beech Trees
Dianne,
We have the same thing going on with our beeches. I was concerned initially that it might be beech bark disease also, but after researching the topic I’ve concluded that they are in fact beech blight aphids.
Beech bark disease’s distribution reaches into western NC but there are no reports that I could find of it appearing in the Piedmont. The aphids appear similar because of the white wax they exude, but the scale insect (which leads to beech bark disease) tends to colonize the trunks of mature trees and not the branches as the aphids do. The aphids will also move in unison when agitated or threatened. There is a brief page about the beech blight aphids here, and you can google to find out more/see images: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beech_blight_aphid
The aphids cause only minimal damage except in heavy infestations. Among the obvious methods to control them are spraying, but I would recommend buying lady bugs (also known as lady bird beetles) from a nursery- as they predate on aphids as well as other pests and will take care of the problem without introducing toxins into the environment or the Haw watershed. Feel free to email me if you want a recommendation.
Regards,
Andrew
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