Pest Control: The Importance of Tree Maintenance

Most homeowners in New Jersey know the basics for keeping pests away, and that things like leaving food scraps out or letting their gutters get clogged can often attract insects to their homes. What many don’t know is that the trees on their property can entice pests to attack their homes, and one of the simplest ways to keep your home pest-free is to maintain your trees.

Below, we’ll explain why some insects are drawn to unkempt trees and how tree maintenance in New Jersey can aid in your pest control efforts.

Why Do Trees Attract Pests?

Insects are attracted to trees for a variety of reasons, depending on the state of the tree. Living trees, dead trees, and especially tree stumps can all be entry points for pest infestations.

Living Trees

When New Jersey homeowners hear about trees attracting pests, they usually imagine dead trees being infested by carpenter ants or termites. Unfortunately, healthy trees in your yard can also bring a number of pests.

New Jersey is currently dealing with three invasive species that live in or feed on trees: 

• Spotted lanternflies, which any NJ homeowner will know can ruin their outdoor experience
• Emerald ash borers, which can destroy unhealthy trees and potentially put you, your family, and your home at risk of injury and damage
• Gypsy moths, which can ruin outdoor activities and will eat the leaves of your trees, making them look less appealing and eventually killing them

These invasive pests are far more likely to be attracted to trees that are stressed or damaged, so maintaining healthy trees is one of the best ways to mitigate the damage they do.

Dying Trees & Branches

Of course, dying trees and dead limbs are easy access points for the above invasive species, and they can attract other insects as well, like carpenter ants and even termites. Dead limbs can also attract emerald ash borers and a variety of wood-boring insects native to New Jersey.

Namely, powderpost beetles and old house borers are prevalent in many parts of New Jersey. They’re attracted to dead wood and can move onto your home as a source of food once the dying tree in your yard has been depleted of resources.

Tree Stumps

Many homeowners choose to leave the stump behind when having a tree removed from their yard. Tree stumps can be unsightly, but they’re also like a beacon for insects. Termites, carpenter ants, and many different beetles will infest just about any tree stump left behind or feed on the root systems.

Once the tree stump is consumed, these pests can move onto the next available food source, which, unfortunately, is your home in many cases. Not only will leaving stumps in your yard bring pests to your property, but it can also indirectly put your home at risk of damage.

How Can Tree Maintenance Reduce Pests On Your Property?

The risk of insects that your trees can bring might entice you to remove your trees altogether, but thankfully, regular tree maintenance can significantly reduce the risk of infestation.

Annual Pruning

Regular tree pruning is one of the best practices for maintaining healthy trees and reducing your risk of insect infestation.

When you neglect annual pruning, tree branches will grow erratically. Branches will begin to compete with each other, and limited resources can lead to some areas dying off. As mentioned above, dead branches can be an easy access point for insects. Additionally, storm damage can leave branches exposed to infestation and tree disease.

When you schedule annual pruning, any unhealthy and dead branches will be removed so that your tree can put its energy into maintaining proper growth. A healthy tree is less likely to be infested by invasive species in New Jersey, and living branches won’t attract carpenter ants or termites to your property.

Mulching Around the Base

Mulching around the base of your tree is helpful for many reasons. The mulch helps keep the soil below cool and moist, it serves to keep damaging landscaping equipment away from the trunk, and it keeps grass — which will compete with your tree for resources — away from the root system.

Mulching helps keep trees healthy, which will reduce the risk of pest infestation on your property. Many homeowners believe that mulch can attract wood-destroying insects. In reality, termites and carpenter ants aren’t enticed by wood chip mulch. In fact, some mulch helps to repel these types of pests.

Removing Stumps

Finally, having a professional tree service remove your tree stumps after tree removal is one of the best ways to avoid pest infestation on your property. The dead wood will almost certainly attract beetles, carpenter ants, and termites over time. Not only will these pests be more likely to stick around and attack other trees on your property, but they can also move onto your home and cause significant damage if left untreated.

When an arborist removes your stump, they will also typically take out enough of the root system so that the dead wood doesn’t attract insects. They might also treat the wood to repel termites and carpenter ants to provide an additional layer of protection.

Wrapping Up: Why Tree Maintenance Can Help Avoid Pest Infestation

Getting rid of pests that have already shown up on your property in New Jersey can sometimes feel like a full-time job. It’s often a better idea to carry out preventative measures to keep them away in the first place, especially in New Jersey, where invasive pests are prevalent.

Routine tree maintenance like annual pruning and mulching around the base of your trees can help maintain good tree health, which will keep your trees naturally protected from insects. Additionally, removing tree stumps and their root systems will remove the attractive food source for carpenter ants and termites, making your property less enticing to these