How to Treat Red Oak Wood Borers
Red oak wood borers are beetles that infect oak trees. The beetles have a two-year life span. The female lays her eggs in June, and in September the eggs hatch, creating larvae that burrow into the tree, feasting on it for the next year and a half. The larvae pupate and become beetles right before the second June after they have been hatched. Look for bark discoloration to detect the problem early for easy treatment. After that point, chemical methods may be necessary. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Maintain the health of the plant. This will prevent infestations in the first place and help the tree heal after red oak wood borers have already established themselves. Water, fertilize and prune properly. Choose a proper site for the plant, leaving it enough space to breathe.
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Examine the tree for the red oak wood borers. If they are in the larvae stages, where they look like small worms, simply pluck them out of the tree with a wire or pocket knife.
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Apply a chlorpyrifos insecticide to all surfaces of the tree in mid-August when the larvae burrow into and the adults burrow out of the tree. This is a residual insecticide and only stays on the surface of the tree, so when the wood borers come in and out of the wood, they come in contact with the chemical and die.
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Saw the tree, removing it from the area in dire cases where the tree is entirely infested. Removing only infected trees will save the other trees in the area from infestation.
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