I have a mealy bug infestation of epic proportions on the Live Oak in my front yard. The trunk is about 2 feet in diameter and the tree is probably 50 feet tall. The trunk is dotted with fuzzy white bugs and scaly, I don't know, eggs? But all the underbranches are completely white with eggs and bugs. They are also on the leaves. Despite this, the tree has new growth at the ends of branches and has had no significant leaf drop.
How do I address this infestation? My specific questions are 1) Will the mealy bugs spread to other trees? 2)Do I need to get rid of them, and if so, how?
Thank you so much for any help!
Lucky Fuzzy Bugs
You are very lucky that it's a simple "fuzzy bugs" (as you like to call it) to deal with and basically no evidence of termite infestation or something even more serious. Such things are much more difficult to take care of. It has been tested already several times.
Just take your time and study everything you can about such bugs and you'll manage to solve it.
-JP.
Got Bugs?
You must live south of KC to have Live Oak as they are not hardy this far north. I am not for sure what you are describing. Is there a possibility of attaching a picture of this problem to the blog? That would be very helpful.
Another option would be to take a branch sample to your local Extension office for id. Mealy bugs are normally not a problem on a large tree.
Some people see a white growth on the underside of oak leaves and think it is insects. In fact they are little hairs that form at the junction of the veins. This is normal.
Sorry - but more information is needed for a proper diagnoses.
Dennis -Johnson County Extension
Thank you
I need ammo to pitch my husband for a macro lens for my camera, this might just do it :)
We live in Waldo (south KCMO, around 75th street). We had an arborist look at all the trees (we have 16 big trees on our lot) when we moved in and he (Ivan Kazan, I think) said it was a Live Oak. I did some research on the bugs on line and my description was "like a potato bug covered with white fuzz." Mealy bugs was my best answer. There might be two things going on here, little hairs and bugs, but from what I can see, the scaly white spots seem to become fuzzy white potato bugs and the white spots are coating the undersides of branches like plaque. If you think of anything else, let me know, otherwise I will take your advice and bring a branch to an extension office. Thank you for your time! Erin
Fuzzy bugs
Thinking a little more there are these giant woolly aphids. We see them from time to time. I have included a picture. Take a look and see if this is the problem.
As for type of tree hard to believe it is live oak but with strange weather patterns could be more in the urban area.
Dennis - Johnson County Extension