Insects can quickly infest your trees, causing significant damage and potentially leading to their demise. Having an arborist examine your trees on a regular basis can catch these pests before they become a problem.
To help you better understand your trees and the insects that target them, we’ve prepared a glossary of some of the most common tree insects in the greater Truckee-Tahoe region.

Carpenter Ants
Carpenter ants will reside in your tree if they detect decaying wood. These insects use knots and cracks in the tree to gain access and feed on the dead wood fiber. While carpenter ants do not normally kill a tree, they may invade your home if the tree is nearby.

Fir Engravers
Fir engraver beetles typically attack the upper portion of white and red firs, though heavy infestations can kill the entire tree. A tree may be able to survive with a dead top, but prompt removal is recommended to avoid damage from breaking and falling.

Mountain Pine Beetles
These insects target pines, and you can recognize their presence by the white and red pitch tubes they leave on a tree. Mountain pine beetles carry the blue stain fungus to a tree, restricting water flow to its needles, eventually killing it entirely.

Red Turpentine Beetles
Red turpentine beetles target pines but typically don’t kill them. Instead, they will weaken the tree and leave it more susceptible to other illnesses or insects. Identification relies on spotting dark red pitch tubes at the tree’s base.

Aphids
Aphids are a broad group of insects that attack needles, stems, and other soft plant tissue. Most trees have a few species of aphids that target them. Damage from aphids is generally not fatal, and many arborists recommend introducing predatory insects to control them, such as ladybugs or lace wings.

Scale Insects
Scale insects come in two forms: armored and soft. Scales can be difficult to detect, as it typically looks like bumps on the tree to the untrained eye. These pests do not typically kill trees, but they can damage them and stunt their growth.

White Satin Moths
An invasive species from Eurasia, white satin moths have been responsible for defoliating many native trees in the Tahoe Basin. Keeping your trees stress-free and properly watered is a significant factor in protecting your landscape from white satin moths.

Needleminers
Needle miners attack pines, firs, and spruces by feeding on the needles. The typical signs of a needle miner infestations are yellow or brown needles, reduced growth, and early needle drop. Advanced infestations can kill trees if left untreated.