There has been a lot of information in the media about ticks in the past few years, and I have observed high populations, and have heard similar reports from other landscape professionals this spring.

Ticks, primarily the deer tick, can carry and transmit Lyme disease. This disease can be quite debilitating to people and pets, causing many people to reduce their outdoor activities to reduce their exposure. At Mayer Tree Service, we can provide a solution for this pest.

Tretaments to your property can greatly reduce the tick population at your property. We have received several requests from new clients this year, so I want to continue to spread the word about treatment options. Traditional products will deliver a fast and effective knockdown, and we also offer organic options too for those that prefer more natural solutions, such as garlic juice and tick tubes.

Many people plan outdoor events during the spring, summer, and fall. Make your guests more comfortable by having a tick treatment done a day or two in advance of your party or wedding or cookout. These treatments are also effective where mosquitoes are a problem.

Mosquitoes can transmit Eastern Equine Encephalitis and West Nile Virus, as well as just being an annoyance to your outdoor living space. Targeted treatments for mosquitoes will drastically their populations.

Contact Mayer Tree Service to discuss a tick and/or mosquito treatment program with a certified arborist today!

Jeff

With the warmer temperature's, the insect activity in our landscapes have picked up. Wintermoth larvae are now 1-2 mm in length, still very small, but they are feeding and causing damage. I have seen heavy populations in Boxford, Manchester, Middleton, and Beverly. If you have not made arrangements for treatment, this would be a good time to call your arborist.

Other notable active pests observed: carpenter ants, mosquitos, ticks, and boxwood leafminer. Pine sawfly eggs are close to hatching as well, so watch your hard pines, such as mugo, red, Austrian, and scotch for these ravenous feeders.

Several evergreen trees and shrubs are still showing symptoms of winter damage. A certified arborist can help you assess the damage, and determine if they will recover.

Lastly, as you are preparing to lay down all that fresh new mulch- be careful not to put too much down at the base of your trees. I was recently at a property where the homeowner had applied too much over the past few years, and has trees that are dying. Too much mulch makes it difficult for a tree or shrub to get water and oxygen, which will stress them significantly and make secondary pests and pathogens more likely to target the tree. 1-2 inches at the base of the tree is sufficient, and 3-4 inches is acceptable away fron the tree's trunk.

As always, the Certified Arborists at Mayer Tree Service are here for you!

Jeff

So spring is here. Really?

We have had a very cool spring this year, unlike last year where at this time nearly all trees had leafed out. This has caused many of our typical insect pests, especially wintermoth, to be slow in emerging this spring.

Wintermoth has hatched in many areas, but has not been very noticeable to this point, but I have seen the fine webs around twigs and buds of cherry and blueberry in the past week. Once we get a few warm days, we can expect to see more trees break bud, and begin to see more insect activity.

Deer ticks and dog ticks are now active, so be sure to check yourself, your kids, and your pets if you are outside this weekend. I had to pull a tick off my son last weekend after doing our spring cleanup on Saturday. Some areas have reported mosquito activity already also.

Did you know that we can manage ticks and mosquitos at your property? If you live in an area prone to ticks or mosquitos, or if you are planning a big outdoor event like a party or a wedding, we can come to your property and treat for these pests. This will reduce your chances of coming into contact with these insects that carry Lyme disease or EEE or West Nile Virus. Call Mayer Tree if you would like to learn more.

Hopefully by my next blog post, I can talk about all the wonderful flowering trees. Happy Spring!

Jeff