Spring in Calgary is a beautiful time of year. We all look forward to trees budding, flowers blooming and grass growing as our city starts to “green up”. This spring, Calgarians are asked to stop the spread a European Elm Scale (EES), an invasive insect that impacts the health of elm trees.
EES is usually first noticed when a sticky honeydew is produced by the insect. A black sooty mold will grow on the honeydew and can spread to nearby trees and surfaces. Left untreated, healthy trees can become infested and will experience the thinning of leaves at the top of the tree and branch loss, which can weaken otherwise healthy trees and possibly result in the loss of the affected tree.
The good news is that Calgarians can take steps to help stop the spread of EES. In 2015, the City of Lethbridge faced a similar challenge and took action to significantly reducing their infestation by injecting elm trees in May and June. If injected during this time, the adult insect numbers can be reduced by up to 98.9% and reduce the number of eggs laid 74 – 244, down to 0 – 4 eggs.
Calgarians can help stop the spread of EES in several different ways:
- Good plant care practices, such as watering trees throughout the year,
- Contacting a local arborist to assess rlm trees on your property or to learn more about proper care is another option
- Report photos and information about affected elm trees at yyctree.com
Free resources are available to help raise awareness about how to help prevent EES from damaging our city’s elm trees, as well as helpful links to arborists.
Visit yyctree.com for more information and to get connected on social media.
