Insect Pests on Evergreens

• Pine Needle Scale
• Spruce Budworm 
  
• Spruce Gall Adelgid

• Spruce Spidermite 
  
• White Pine Weevil 
  
• Yellowhead Spruce Sawfly 

     For all chemical controls, READ AND FOLLOW LABEL INSTRUCTIONS THOROUGHLY BEFORE USE

PINE NEEDLE SCALE

Plants Affected

• White/Colorado Spruce, Scot’s/Lodgepole Pine, Douglas Fir and other Spruce.

Symptoms

• As scale feeds, yellow/green spots develop on needles.
• Branches take on unhealthy grey appearance.
• Scales are white, appear as flecks of white paint on needles.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• Lady beetles and wasp-like parasites offer some control.

Chemical Controls:

• Malathion or Sevin - apply shortly after new growth appears in
  early or Mid June.
• Can re-spray in early August before females form their hard shell.

SPRUCE BUDWORM

Plants Affected

• Spruce

Symptoms

• Lots of feces, webbing.
• Notice particularly on new foliage on the upper third of the tree.
• Insect has a brown/black head—so as not to confuse it with yellowheaded spruce sawfly. Young larvae are yellow green bodied, older cinnamon brown bodied.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• Handpick small infestations.
• Have some natural predators.
  

Chemical Controls:

• BTK or Permethrin – when larvae are young or first noticed and feeding.
• Malathion

SPRUCE GALL ADELGID

Plants Affected

• Spruce, Douglas Fir

Symptoms

• Damage cosmetic.
• Early spring white fluff may occur, followed by galls.
• Damage is usually 8’ or lower.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• Hose down white fluff
• Hand pick galls (green/purple ones still have adults inside).

Chemical Controls:

• None

SPRUCE SPIDERMITE

Plants Affected

• Spruce, pine

Symptoms

• Affects lower and center of tree.
• Webbing - very fine.
• Appears in hot, dry weather.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• Keep trees sprayed with water on a daily basis during hot dry spells.

Chemical Controls:

• Trounce can be used

WHITE PINE WEEVIL

Plants Affected

• White Pine

Symptoms

• Symptoms appear on most types of pine and sometimes spruce.
• Terminal leader of pine and spruce become curled over resembling a shepherds hook.
• Small exit and entry holes are seen at the base of the leader.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• Remove leader.
• Trees must be kept healthy (well watered).
  

Chemical Controls:

• No regulated chemicals.

YELLOWHEAD
SPRUCE SAWFLY

Plants Affected

• Spruce

Symptoms

• Clean cut needles, strong resin scent.
• Feed on new needles first ‘clean feeders’.
• No webbing, feces.

Controls

Cultural or Non-chemical Controls:

• If infestations small, hand pick.
• Strong jet of water
• Keep evergreens well watered (deep root watering).

Chemical Controls:

• Insecticidal Soap
• Permethin (Ambush)
• Malathion or Sevin (note that Malathion will bleach blue needles).