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Owen Tree Service provides tree, lawn, and landscape services to the following cities and towns:
Genesee County, Michigan:
● Burton
● Davison
● Flushing
● Goodrich
● Linden
● Otisville
● Clio
● Fenton
● Gaines
● Grand Blanc
● Montrose
● Otter Lake
● Flint
● Genesee
● Lennon
● Mt Morris
● Swartz Creek
Lapeer County, Michigan:
● Almont
● Brown City
● Columbiaville
● Imlay City
● Metamora
● Peck
● Attica
● Clifford
● Dryden
● Lapeer
● North Branch
● Sandusky
● Hadley
● Mayville
● Otter Lake
● Silverwood
Macomb County, Michigan:
● Armada
● Clinton Twp
● Grosse Pointe
● Macomb
● New Haven
● St Clair Shores
● Centerline
● Detroit
● Grosse Pointe Farms
• Madison Heights
● Ray
● Sterling Heights
● Chesterfield
● Eastpointe
● Grosse Pointe Shores
● Memphis
● Romeo
● Utica
● Clinton
● Fraser
● Grosse Pointe Woods
● Mt Clemens
● Roseville
● Warren
● Harrison Twp
● New Baltimore
● Shelby Twp
● Washington
Oakland County, Michigan:
● Auburn Hills
● Bloomfield Village
● Ferndale
● Leonard
● Orion
● South Lyon
● Berkley
● Clarkston
● Franklin
● Madison Heights
● Ortonville
● Southfield
● Beverly Hills
● Clawson
● Hazel Park
● Milford
● Oxford
● Troy
● Bingham Farms
● Commerce Twp
● Highland
● Novi
● Pleasant Ridge
● Walled Lake
● Birmingham
● Davisburg
● Holly
● Oak Park
● Pontiac
● Waterford
● Bloomfield
● Detroit
● Huntington Woods
● Oakland
● Rochester
● West Bloomfield
● Bloomfield Hills
● Farmington
● Lake Orion
● Oakland Twp
● Rochester Hills
● White Lake
● Farmington Hills
● Lathrup Village
● Orchard Lake
● Royal Oak
● Wixom
St. Clair County, Michigan:
● Algonac
● Casco
● East China
● Harbor Beach
● Lexington
● Peck
● Allenton
● Clay
● Emmett
● Harsens Island
● Marine City
● Port Huron
● Berlin
● Clyde
● Fair Haven
● Jeddo
● Marysville
● Richmond
● Brockway
● Columbus
● Fort Gratiot
● Kimball
● Memphis
● Sandusky
● Capac
● Cottrellville
● Goodells
● Lakeport
● North Street
● St Clair
Many different plant species are attacked by sawfly insects, but the most common plant we find them on is the mugo pine, which is often infested with the European pine sawfly. Although sawfly insects look like a caterpillar they are actually the larvae of wasp-like insects.
In early to mid-May, the first indication of a sawfly infestation is often identified by the yellowing of needle clusters which have been partially eaten by the young larvae. These needles eventually drop from the tree. Larvae also feed on the bark of young shoots which results in shoot death or deformation. Only the previous year’s foliage is consumed, although when it is devoured, they may move to current year’s growth. New needles develop normally, giving the plant a tufted appearance. Several years of sawfly feeding damage can result in decreased plant growth, as well as increased susceptibility to damage from other disease or insect pests.
Other plant species attacked by sawfly insects include:
SAWFLY INSECTS
The sawfly species commonly seen in Michigan include:
European pine sawfly
Introduced pine sawfly
Mountain-ash sawfly
Redheaded pine sawfly
White pine sawfly
Yellow headed spruce sawfly
Austrian pine
Black spruce
Blue spruce
Jack pine
Japanese pines
Mountain-ash
Red pine
Scotch (Scot’s) pine
White pine
White spruce
HOW TO CONTROL PINE SAWFLY
If there is only a small colony of sawfly insects on your plant they can be hand picked from the plant or dislodged with a forceful stream of water. In most cases, however, the best way to control sawfly insects is spraying the tree. Plants can be protected from future damage with a soil-injected insecticide applied in the fall of the year. This will protect the plant from sawfly insects that hatch the following spring.
SYMPTOMS / IDENTIFICATION OF SAWFLY INSECTS
Full grown larvae are about one inch long and resemble a caterpillar. The first indication of a pine sawfly infestation is the straw colored appearance of needle clusters where young larvae have consumed only the outer surface of the needles. When feeding in large colonies the sawflies, when startled, move in unison making them easy to spot.
LIFE CYCLE
Winter is spent in a cocoon spun under the host trees. Pupation happens in the spring for most sawfly species and the adults emerge a few weeks later. Females deposit more than 100 eggs in rows of slits in the bark of twigs. Larvae hatch in about a month and begin feeding for another month. They then drop to the ground to spin their cocoons.
MANAGEMENT OF PINE SAWFLY INSECTS
Hand pick if there are only a few sawfly larva on the plant.
Tree spraying can be done after the larvae hatch and are feeding.
A systemic treatment can be applied via basal drench or soil injection. The product is absorbed throughout the tree to control feeding insects.
Photos: Rayanne Lehman, Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bugwood.org & Gerald J. Lenhard, Louiana State Univ, Bugwood.org
