Search 120,491 Tips
Pruning
Tree wounds can attract harmful insects
Read this tip to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Pruning and other Lawn topics.
How can wounds from pruning affect the health of a tree?
Tree wounds can attract harmful insects
Recent wounds and the chemical scents they emit can actually attract insects that spread tree disease. An example is wounded elm wood which is known to attract bark beetles that harbor spores of the Dutch elm disease fungus. Open wounds on oaks are known to attract beetles that spread the oak wilt fungus. Take care to prune these trees during the correct time of year to prevent spread of these fatal diseases. Contact your local tree disease specialist to find out when to prune these tree species in your area. Usually, the best time is during the late fall and winter.
