little white bugs on my collected winged elm clump

[SouthernMaple]

Anyone have any clue what these little white bugs are? I collected this winged elm last year in South Cacalacky, I just noticed them today when I was pruning the tree



Its been really cold the last week and the tree has been on the ground outside. I thought maybe the cold will kill them as its getting back down in the 20s next week.

 

[HardBall]

Wooly aphids I'd guess. They're pretty easy to get rid of. I suspect the cold might kill them or you could spray the with permithrin or similar.

 

[Shibui]

If this is woolly aphid they also live on roots so need to treat for those you can't see as well as those you can see.
Cold might kill some but there will always be a few survivors or the species would not have survived after the very first winter. I suspect they may go into some sort of hibernation for the cold months so treatment now probably won't be very effective. I'd wait until spring and treat to catch any that have come though winter.

 

[arbuscula]

If you can get some I'd offer the suggestion to use a systemic insecticide "just before" spring or when you see movement in the buds. Applying the systemic insecticide to the soil means the roots will take it up to the buds and any insects that feed on the roots and leaves will be taken care of. Being in the UK I don't know what insecticide treatments are available to you.

 

[SouthernMaple]

If you can get some I'd offer the suggestion to use a systemic insecticide "just before" spring or when you see movement in the buds. Applying the systemic insecticide to the soil means the roots will take it up to the buds and any insects that feed on the roots and leaves will be taken care of. Being in the UK I don't know what insecticide treatments are available to you.

im trying not to use any pesticides as I used a imidacloprid a few years ago and it destroyed the bee population in my old neighborhood

 

[arbuscula]

im trying not to use any pesticides as I used a imidacloprid a few years ago and it destroyed the bee population in my old neighborhood

Sorry to read you feel your use of that insecticide destroyed the bee population in your area. All I can offer is that I've had no issues from using a systemic applied to the soil around the trunk and root area. However, I can fully understand you wanting to avoid chemicals. Bee populations do need protection world wide.

Your next choice to consider could be to find a supplier for ladybirds, and/or larvae of, to feed on these as well as other bugs in and around your trees come spring and going forward. There are suppliers in the UK that some gardeners and Bonsai people here use for such control of garden pests.

 

[SouthernMaple]

Well hopefully this praying mantis egg(circled) will make it through the winter and burst open during aphid season

 

[Dabbler]

I don't know if neem oil affects bees but it's a non toxic and might help out

 

[BrightsideB]

View attachment 521454
Well hopefully this praying mantis egg(circled) will make it through the winter and burst open during aphid season
View attachment 521455

Lol damn that does look like a mantis egg case. You can also buy the mantis eggs. I am going to this spring. Just seems really cool.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

im trying not to use any pesticides as I used a imidacloprid a few years ago and it destroyed the bee population in my old neighborhood

Stuart—I use imidicloprid each year as an annual preventative. On flowering trees such as my Wisteria and Virginia sweetspire I wait until after they have flowered but the rest I do in early spring when they are actively growing I apply it with the pot over a large bucket to catch the drippings then let the plant drain before putting it back out on the bench. This prevents harming the bees but keeps borers and sucking insects under control. We have a couple of masonry bee houses and are very protective of them and the honey bees that visit the flowers in our pollinator garden each year.