Drought stressed pinyon pines are sitting ducks for pinyon needle scale insects, which can significantly damage an already drought-stressed tree. The scale insects are easily seen as tiny black bumps on the needles near the branch tips (see photo, bottom left). Heavily infested trees will have very bare branches with only tufts of needles at the tips. In fall, the males fly down and hide at the ground surface and overwinter there, while the females stay in the little black shells until mating in late winter.
The eggs are laid in late winter on the tree trunk, the undersides of branches, and rocks and mulch at the base of the tree. They are protected by white, waxy filaments that wrap around them like cotton candy (see photo, bottom right). The eggs hatch in early spring, and the young crawl out to branch tips and settle down on a needle that grew the prior year, and the cycle repeats.
Controlling them starts with improving the trees’ water status. Trees that get sufficient and appropriate irrigation can make enough energy through photosynthesis to afford to make defensive chemicals in the needles. The next step is to remove as much egg mass as practical before the eggs hatch in early spring. Greatly reducing the eggs before hatch means many fewer adults later in the season. Finally consider treating the trees with horticultural oils or systemic insecticides at the right time. Legacy Tree Company can help you assess your pinyon’s health and offer services to address all these control touchpoints and more.
Contact us to find out more about our Albuquerque tree removal services.
