Question by rod: My oak tree smells. It appears to be leaking sap towards the base of tree.?
There are little flying insects all over the sappy area and under the bark. How do I fix it?
There are little flying insects all over the sappy area and under the bark. How do I fix it?
I believe the tree is a black oak.
Best answer:
Answer by Rustskipper
Hey Rod,
It sounds like a boring insect (not that what they have to say is not important – just boring – lol). Seriously, these pests bore into your tree and cause much damage. There are many types of these, so, listed below are a few web sites that describe them. To eliminate them, first you need to identify them. So, check through the articles, look at the bark leaking pictures, see if any of the symptoms match.
Management and Control is discussed in the last web site below, here are some of the control facts from that article:
“Natural controls are important in reducing the red oak borers’ overall population. Larval mortality in the first few days of life averages 40 percent by birds and other predators. In addition, fermenting sap, nitidulid sap beetles and ants cause mortality of up to 30 percent in older larvae. Lepidopterous woodborers (“carpenter worms”) also invade wound sites in the later stages of larval development and kill 4 to 5 percent of the larvae. Overall survival of the red oak borer larvae is estimated to be between 6 to 16 percent of the eggs that hatch.
Red oak and live oak trees in urban areas need special attention to survive all the difficult conditions to which they are subjected. Maintaining tree health is the best preventative measure to guard against insect and disease infestation. Deep-water irrigation in times of drought stress is essential to maintain tree vigor. Late winter or early spring fertilization is another good management practice. Urban trees should be on a three- to five-year pruning cycle to maintain good form and hazard reduction. Adequate protection of desirable trees around construction sites is essential.
Chemical control of the red oak borer is not very practical and should only be considered under the most high hazard situations; a few beetles are not too damaging, while mass attacks are difficult to treat. Application timing is very critical. Red oak borer larvae control is best when insecticides are applied during the period of time when eggs are being deposited in late July and early August of even numbered years. Insecticide coverage of the entire tree trunk is critical to get satisfactory control. Even with good application, a significant risk exists that control will not be complete. The insecticide treatment should be made two to three times at two-week intervals. The insecticides recommended for treatment include Lorsban (chlorpyrifos, a restricted label) and formulations of permethrin, and these should be applied according to label requirements. Another option is to use a soil drench of imidacloprid or a tree and shrub insect control product produced by Bayer Advanced. Imidacloprid ( Brand name of Merit TM ) is a systemic product that is applied to the base of the tree with in the root zone. The label provides more details on usage and performance. Merit TM, should be applied with a light application of liquid ammonium nitrate. The fertilizer provides better uptake, either as a soil drench or soil inject into the root zone. “
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