New Threat to Walnut Trees in Pennsylvania

A major new threat to Walnut trees has appeared in Pennsylvania. The Thousand Cankers, a fungal disease spread by the Walnut Twig Beetle has been detected in Plumstead Township in Bucks County.

The Walnut Twig Beetle spreads the disease by tunneling into wood on the trees.

This disease causes the trees to literarily starve to death. The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that state officials are so concerned about the Walnut Twig Beetle that they have banned the export of firewood and unfinished wood from Bucks County to keep it from spreading to other parts of the state.

The disease has killed Black Walnuts in several states it was first detected in Colorado in 2003. Experts think this disease could be a threat to all Walnut trees including those on residential properties. Thousand Cankers has killed thousands of black walnut trees in the Western US. Since the Walnut Twig Beetle is tiny about the size of a poppy disease it is hard to detect.

The best way that property owners can protect their property is to hire a tree service that employees professional arborists. Such experts can inspect the trees from the Beetle and the disease and take action against them. Fast action is recommended because Thousand Cankers can quickly a tree. That means the diseased tree will have to be removed. In many cases the spread of the disease can be halted by spraying which should be done by professionals.