Silver Birch attacked by caterpillars

[Elizabeth Hughes]

We have returned from our holiday to find our silver birch tree has been decimated.

Earlier on in the year we had a blue type beetle which we used an insecticide on and they disappeared.

Any advice would be appreciated

 

Many Thanks

[peds]

Be a shame if the insecticide you used on that blue beetle also killed a natural predator of those other wee beasties...

Edited July 29, 2024 by peds

[Dendrologen]

It might be the hard pruning that has killed this tree. The bugs might be secondary. Certainly looks like it's had a lot taken off. The bug in the pic looks like a ladybird larva, which predate many plant pests.

[Stere]

My advice is don't use insecticides.

 

Actually think they should not be available to the general public.

 

The garden centres are chock full of that shite.

Edited July 30, 2024 by Stere

[peds]

32 minutes ago, Dendrologen said:

It might be the hard pruning that has killed this tree. The bugs might be secondary. Certainly looks like it's had a lot taken off. The bug in the pic looks like a ladybird larva, which predate many plant pests.

 

Very well spotted. 

[Mesterh]

It might be the larvae of the blue beetle that you said you had earlier in the year. 

You see loads of these on alders, not sure about birch though.

 

 

Larvae of the alder leaf beetle or blue alder leaf beetle (Agelastica alni) - feeding on the leaf Stock Photo - Alamy

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