How to Determine if a Tree Has an Aphid Infestation

Sticky Leaves

If you believe aphids have infested a tree in your landscape, look at the leaves to see if they are sticky. As previously noted, the sap is the primary food source for these pests. They will remove the sap from the leaves while leaving a sticky residue in their wake.

Black Fungi

The presence of black fungus is another indicator that trees may have an aphid infestation. The sap helps black fungi develop as it congeals on the tree’s leaves. The spread of the fungi will start when spores from the air fall onto the sap.

Sap Below the Tree

If there is any sap present, you should look around the tree’s base, paying special attention to the region of ground just beneath the canopy. Some sap must inevitably fall to the ground below when aphids feast on a tree’s fluid. Consequently, the presence of sap beneath a tree may indicate that aphids are infesting it.

Yellow Spots

Yellow stains on a tree’s leaves may potentially be a sign of an aphid infestation. When aphids infest a tree, they appear as yellow spots, the majority of them are yellow. You might even see them moving when you look at them closely. In any case, there’s a good possibility that a tree has an aphid infestation if you notice clusters of yellow spots on its leaves.

Curled Leaves

Perhaps one of the most common signs of an aphid infestation in trees is curled leaves. Aphids will gnaw through a tree’s leaves as they consume the sap. The leaves may eventually curl upwardly or downwardly as a result of this.

Gall

Last but not least, you need to check your landscape’s trees for galls. Aphids lay eggs to multiply, just like many other garden pests do. A tree may respond by creating enormous growths known as galls in response to the laying of aphid eggs inside or on the tree. Although the galls are usually not harmful, they are a sign of an infestation.