Insect & Fungus Spraying

INSECT/FUNGUS SPRAYING IN BILLINGS, MT

We provide several different types of treatments and application methods to combat the various issues that can harm your trees. Each has a unique function and specific purpose. They may be the deciding factor in which a tree flourishes or becomes irrevocably impaired.

FOLIAR INSECT CONTROL

­Arbor Tech provides a foliar insect control spray application designed to control a wide range of chewing/damaging pests that weaken trees and leave them vulnerable to further damage or disease. A foliar spray is one that is applied to the leaves and flowering parts of trees and shrubs and targets most every insect that feeds on the green and growing parts of trees, inhibiting it's ability to complete the processes necessary for it to sustain itself.­

PINE BARK BEETLE PREVENTION

Pine beetles infest stressed and dying pine trees, where they feed and reproduce in the inner bark. They introduce fungi that plug the tree's water transport system, hastening the tree's death. There are several types of pine beetle, but the Southern pine beetle is the most destructive variety, because it attacks both healthy and dying pines and can spread from tree to tree. No insecticides can combat the beetles once they have colonized a pine tree, so an infested tree must be immediately cut down. You can use an insecticide spray to protect your healthy pine trees from being attacked. This application is directed at the main trunk and major branches of the tree, soaking the bark until it is dripping.­

DORMANT OIL

­Dormant oils are a combination of petroleum oils combined with emulsifying agents. Some dormant oils are also plant­based. Applying dormant oils to fruit trees can prevent diseases such as powdery mildew, and control insect infestations such as spider mites and aphids. Dormant oils are generally safe and effective for use on fruit trees. Dormant oils control insect infestations in two ways. First, applying dormant oils can block the air holes of insects, known as spiracles. This causes the insects to suffocate and die. Another way dormant oils control insects is by poisoning the insect. Dormant oils often change the way the insect feeds and can interfere with the insect's metabolism. This causes the eventual death of the insect. Insects cannot become resistant to dormant oils.­

OYSTER SHELL TREATMENT

A scale insect problem can be seen on trees in the form of small brown bumps, which look like small oyster shells attached to the branches and trunk of the tree. Over time, the scale 'shells' will reproduce and spread over large areas of the tree's woody branches. The scale gradually attacks the tree by sucking sap and nutrients from the tree and, over time, heavily infected areas will experience die­back. It may be easy to miss scale insects as a potential insect or pathogen due to their lack of movement and the absence of eyes and legs. In the spring, small, almost invisible nymphs emerge from under the female shells and move to infect new areas of the tree. This is the only time in the life­cycle of scale that the insect moves. This application is sprayed on the trunk and affected branches of Aspen and Ash trees suffering from infestation.­

PINE SCALE TREATMENT

­The pine needle scale is probably the most common armored scale found on conifers in the United States and Canada. The white, oystershell­shaped scales can completely cover needles, causing plant discoloration to needle and branch death.

This pest appears to have a particular affinity for Scotch and mugho pines, but it should not be overlooked that it can also take up residence in other conifer varieties, such as spruces, firs and Douglas-firs. Heavy infestations of pine needle scales remove considerable amounts of plant juices resulting in yellowed needles. From a distance, trees appear frosted or silvery. If heavy infestations are not taken care of, there may be a risk of twigs and branches dying. This scale normally is spread by crawlers being blown from tree to tree. As mature trees start to intertwine branches, the spread of scale crawlers accelerates. Birds and animals who perch or brush against trees with scale crawlers can also help with the transport. By catching the problem early on, you can prevent it from becoming too widespread and avoid having to use excessive measures, such as spraying.

FOLIAR FUNGAL PREVENTION PROGRAM

There are many different types of fungi and they can infect a tree in a variety of ways, depending on the particular fungus. Some fungi live in the soil and attack a tree through the roots. Other fungi are transported on water, such as rain or splashing water from a sprinkler. Still other types of fungi float through the air or even enter the tree on the body of an insect. Curing a tree of fungus is an ongoing, systematic process. Fungi cause tree trunks and branches to decay and can damage large parts of a tree in a short time. Wood becomes weak, and the storage of sapwood is compromised. Oak root fungus, for example, causes a white rot. Another common foliage fungus is powdery mildew, with spores that look like white spots on the surface of leaves. You must kill tree fungi to improve the health of the tree.­­

FRUIT TREE PROGRAM

­This program is set up to provide your fruit trees with a consolidated schedule of prevention and maintenance throughout the season. It is calculated to establish ongoing protection for the tree and its fruit from debilitating insects and their larvae, allowing it to produce ripe and healthy fruit free from the infestation and destruction caused by their presence. Essentially, it gives you the opportunity to finally enjoy your fruit trees

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