In this WTOP news article, Lou Meyer from Davey's mid-Atlantic region provides tips on how you can spot and identify if invasive species have damaged your trees. 

Posted: August 06, 2024

Some bugs are OK, others are not, and the same goes for trees growing in the D.C. region. What should you be on the lookout for? 

During a walk-through at Patuxent River State Park, Davey Tree Expert Company arborist Lou Meyer points to an ailanthus tree, also known as the tree of heaven, and how it’s covered with insects with spotted wings, known as spotted lanternflies.

“They love feeding on the sugars, the carbohydrates, that the tree is producing,” said Meyer.

Meyer said the spotted lanternfly was first spotted in Pennsylvania in 2014. It’s believed they came into the U.S. by hitching rides on cargo from Asia.

To read more about spotted lanternfly and other invasive species, click here.

The Davey Tree Expert Company, headquartered in Kent, Ohio, provides research-driven tree services, grounds maintenance and environmental and utility infrastructure consulting for residential, utility, commercial and environmental partners in the U.S. and Canada. As one of the top ten largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., Davey's 12,000 employees have been dedicated to creating and delivering sustainable solutions since 1880. Apply today to join the Davey legacy, and learn about how we're growing with our new SEED Campus

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