AMELANCHIER INSECTS
AMELANCHIER INSECTS
Cambium mines cause concern when noticed but are not very damaging to the tree. The mines can extend from a twig all the way down to the roots. The mines are light colored lines in the bark. No controls are suggested.
A leaf miner will mine leaves, particularly the lower half of the leaf. The mines are irregular in shape.
The leaves of amelanchier are skeletonized by at least two insects. The first is Bucculatrix pomifoliella producing two generations per year. The insect forms small cocoons on the undersides of leaves. Skeletonized leaves look as though they have windows in them after the insects scrape tissue off the top and bottom of the leaves. The second insect is the larva of the pear sawfly. The larvae are black to greenish black and look slimy. Adult sawflies lay eggs in May and June and again in August. Heavily skeletonized leaves drop off.
Several borers attack amelanchier. Healthy trees are considered less susceptible so regular fertilization and watering during dry spells will help prevent borer attacks.
Spider mites will feed on amelanchier. These insects are hard to detect as they are so small. The main symptom of mite injury is the loss of green leaf coloration. If the infestation is heavy, very fine webbing may be seen. Dormant oil sprays applied in the spring control mite infestations.
Aphids of several types suck juices from amelanchier. Heavy infestations cause distortion of the foliage and new growth, and deposit large amounts of sticky honeydew on lower foliage. Black sooty mold will grow on the honeydew. Use sprays of malathion.