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How to Kill the Elm Leaf Beetle
How to Kill the Elm Leaf Beetle. As its name suggests, the elm leaf beetle is one of the major destroyers of elm trees in the United States. These insects are dark green with black stripes along their backs. The young larvae suck the juices out of the elm leaves, leaving a lacy, dead area, while adult beetles eat the leaves. Treat infestations of...
As its name suggests, the elm leaf beetle is one of the major destroyers of elm trees in the United States. These insects are dark green with black stripes along their backs. The young larvae suck the juices out of the elm leaves, leaving a lacy, dead area, while adult beetles eat the leaves. Treat infestations of elm leaf beetles immediately to prevent the tree from declining.
Things You'll Need
Garden sprayer
Water
Insecticide containing carbaryl
Insecticide containing azadirachtin
Look at the leaves of the elm tree and verify the presence of black worms, which are the larva of the elm leaf beetle. Killing the population of beetles should occur only after the larvae develop, not while they are still in the egg stage.
Fill a hand-held or backpack garden sprayer with an insecticide containing the ingredient carbaryl. Add enough water to dilute the insecticide mixture to 2 percent solution. Close the sprayer and shake to mix thoroughly.
Direct the nozzle of the sprayer at the lowest limb of the tree where it meets the trunk. Spray a 2- to 3-foot band of insecticide around the trunk. Spray all other trees in the area using the same method to prevent the beetles from migrating to them.
Empty the garden sprayer and rinse it out, or use a second clean sprayer. Fill it with an insecticide solution containing azadirachtin and spray the branches and foliage of the tree until they are saturated. This targets the adult beetle population.
Repeat the application of the insecticide band on all of the trees each spring for at least two to three years to ensure control of elm leaf beetles.
Tips & Warnings
If rain occurs soon after applying the insecticide, repeat the application to ensure total control.
Do not prune trees in the spring or summer, since the exposed wood attracts the Elm Leaf Beetle.
A professional arborist should treat large trees since special equipment is required to reach the uppermost branches.
