Fungus and Insect?

[az259]

Hi, I have a few trees with a layer of grey stuff on the branches.* I don't know what it is.* Wonder if it is fungus?* What should I do?* Here are the pictures.*



I see a lot of black dots in another plant.* There are hundreds of them.* I think they are insects or their eggs.* I have to remove them manually.* Any clue what to do?* The picture is not clear.* I will try to get a better pic.*





Thanks,

*

Andy

[Newt]

Hi AZ,

The green and some yellow/gold you see is lichen.* It's a plant that lives on the bark of trees and won't harm your tree at all.* Having lichen on a tree is a good indication that there isn't much air pollution.* Many animals eat lichen and hummingbirds use it to build their nests.* The one you have most of is called Common greenshield.
http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ec...reenshield.htm
http://www.lichen.com/animals.html
http://www.lichen.com/

I would also like to comment that your second picture shows a stub of a limb that has been improperly pruned.* Notice how the bark is peeling from the extending stub.* If the branch had been properly pruned to the branch collar (info on this to follow in link below) then the tree would form wound wood and seal the cut.* Now insects and disease can work their way under the bark and damage your tree.* I suggest you prune it, and any other improperly pruned limbs, so the tree can heal over.* Here's how.
http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/ho...ne/prun001.htm

Your third picture is too blurry for me to tell what pest you have but I do see some type of metal looking box to the center right of the picture.* Any idea what that is?*

I'm thinking that the third and fourth pics are the same tree and appears to be a purple leaf plum.* It too needs proper pruning to allow more air circulation and better limb structure.* Do look at the above site.* Here's another for pruning a young tree.
http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/B949-W.HTMl

As far as the pests on this tree I suspect you have aphids.* Wonder if you see any ants in the tree too. They harvest the honeydew (waste) from the aphids.* Aphids come in many different colors.* Is this what you see?
http://ccvipmp.ucdavis.edu/insects/i...ackbeanapt.jpg

Newt

[az259]

Thanks a lot!* Originally, I thought the tree would die because of the lichens.* Now, I don't have to worry.* I will try to take a clear picture of those insects.* Need to borrow a better camara.*

*

Happy Canada Day!!!

[Newt]

AZ, you are very welcome.* Since you say you need to take another picture I'm thinking that those aren't aphids you are seeing.* Maybe the insects are the large black dots in the center of the pic where it's blurry.* Maybe the larvae of the pear sawfly.* It looks like a slug.
http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/W...PearSawfly.pdf

Newt

[wallance]

Aphids feed on almost every kind of plant, sucking out fluids and munching on leaves and stems. They are very small, yet travel in large groups.
Aphids come in many colors, including red, green, black, brown, and yellow, depending on their species and plant diet. They may or may not have wings, which enables them to travel to other plants if their food source is depleted.

The best way to eliminate this pest without use of pesticide is by natural enemy. Lady beetles , syrphid flies , and lacewings each feed off aphids.

[Newt]

Hi Wallance,

I don't think the insects that are blurred in the picture would be aphids as they feed on leaves and stems of plants. These black spots appear to be on the hardened bark of the tree. Unfortunately this was posted 2 years ago so I have no idea how the tree has fared since then.

Newt