Walk any street with mature trees and you will see two things at once, beauty and vulnerability. Oaks lift entire neighborhoods with shade and character, but a tiny beetle can undo a century of growth in a couple of seasons. Crepe myrtles flower without complaint, until scale turns their bark into a sticky mess. Pines stand tall, then lean after borers or root rot hollow them out from the inside. Pests are part of the landscape, not a reason to fear trees, but knowing what you are looking at helps you act before a small infestation becomes a safety hazard or an expensive removal.
I have been called out for “mystery sap,” “moths that look like birds,” and a “snowstorm” that turned out to be aphids. Most of the time, the homeowner noticed something off but waited, hoping it would pass. Sometimes it does. Often, pests take advantage of stress, and that slow decline you see happening over a couple of years is their calling card. The trick is learning which signs matter, what you can handle yourself, and when to bring in a tree service.
What pests actually do to trees
Pests don’t all attack the same way. Knowing their basic playbook helps you read symptoms. Sucking insects such as aphids, lace bugs, and scale feed on sap. They weaken the tree and produce honeydew, a sticky residue that grows sooty mold. Chewing insects, including caterpillars and beetle larvae, remove leaves or burrow through wood, reducing a tree’s ability to photosynthesize and move water. Borers, a subset of beetles and moths, tunnel through cambium, interrupting nutrient flow and leaving a labyrinth of galleries that girdle branches or the trunk. Some pests carry fungi or bacteria that cause secondary diseases.
Trees respond in a few predictable ways. They may push out excessive sap, drop leaves earlier than usual, flush a second set of leaves that look smaller and tired, or die back at the tips. Sometimes they wall off damage and carry on. Other times, especially in drought or after construction, they do not have the reserves and the decline accelerates.
In the Southeast, and specifically around Columbia and Lexington, heat and humidity drive pest cycles. Mild winters fail to knock back populations, and spring flushes of new growth provide tender tissue. Water stress in late summer becomes the opening that borers need. The timing matters, because the earlier you interrupt that cycle, the easier the fix.
The usual suspects by species
You can chase pests all day with sprays and traps, or you can start with the tree. Each species tends to host a handful of consistent problems. Spot the tree first, then the likely pest. That approach saves time and avoids unnecessary treatments.
Pines and borers
Southern yellow pines, loblolly especially, are fixtures in many older yards. They grow fast and tolerate sandy soils, but pine bark beetles and turpentine beetles can take them down quickly. Early signs are popcorn-like blobs of resin, called pitch tubes, scattered on the trunk. Needles fade from healthy green to straw, then rust red. If you pull a small section of bark, you may see S-shaped galleries just under the surface. In drought years, the turnaround from green to gone can happen in a few weeks.
Healthy pines produce enough sap to expel the initial attack. Stressed pines do not, and once a tree is colonized by southern pine beetle or Ips engraver beetle, it becomes a source for nearby trees. This is where timing and proximity matter. One compromised pine next to three healthy ones is not a wait-and-see situation. Removing the infested pine promptly, or at least debarking and disposing of it correctly, can protect the rest of the stand. A reputable tree service can assess whether removal is warranted and, if needed, coordinate preventative treatments for adjacent pines.
Oaks, wilt, and defoliators
Live oaks and white oaks carry the region’s history on their branches. Their most troubling pest problems here are often indirect. Oak leafrollers and tussock moths will strip foliage in spring. A healthy oak usually releafs, but repeated defoliation weakens the tree and sets it up for secondary issues. Ambrosia beetles and two-lined chestnut borers show up when the tree is already stressed, drilling pinholes and introducing fungi that accelerate decline.
Oak wilt is not common everywhere in the Carolinas, but vascular wilts and sudden dieback syndromes do appear. The pattern to watch is sectoral, one part of the canopy wilting and browning while the rest looks normal. If pruning wounds line up with bug activity and quick decline, stop pruning and call a pro. Proper timing of cuts matters, and sterilization between trees is non-negotiable.
Maples and aphids
Red maples light up fall and paint wet areas with color, but they attract aphids and, occasionally, Asian longhorned beetle in some states. In our area, the bigger day-to-day issue is honeydew. Park under a maple and find your windshield coated with tacky droplets, and you likely have a high aphid load above. Sooty mold follows, blackening bark and leaves. The good news is that aphids are manageable, often with a hard spray of water, beneficial insects, or a targeted systemic in the right season. The larger concern is when sooty mold persists and the tree looks thin. That combination suggests sustained stress, not just a spring flush of aphids, and merits a closer look at root health and irrigation.
Crepe myrtles and bark scale
Crepe myrtle bark scale has become a routine complaint in Columbia and Lexington. The white, felted bumps cluster on twigs and trunks and bleed pink when crushed. Honeydew drips onto cars and patios, and the tree wears a coat of black mold by midsummer. Left alone, flowering drops off and limbs die back. You can scrub or soft-wash small trees effectively, then follow up with horticultural oil at the right time. On tall, multi-stem specimens over driveways, ladders and soap are not practical. A tree service with low-pressure wash equipment and calibrated sprayers can clear bark, then apply a treatment that fits the tree’s size and the site’s runoff risk.
Hemlocks and adelgid
If you keep hemlocks, you already know the villain: hemlock woolly adelgid. The cottony flecks on the underside of twigs look like a dusting of snow. Needles yellow from the inside and drop prematurely. Without intervention, trees can die within a few years. The standard care plan is a soil-applied systemic in cool months or trunk injection, sometimes paired with a foliar spray to knock back active populations. Timing and dosage matter, and so does avoiding nearby water bodies. This is a case where a phone call to a qualified arborist pays off quickly.
Fruit and ornamental trees
Pears, cherries, and peaches bring a different set of issues. Eastern tent caterpillars build webs at the crotches of branches in spring. Japanese beetles skeletonize leaves midseason. Peachtree borers attack trunk bases on stone fruits, leaving frass that looks like wet sawdust. Most of these are manageable with physical removal of tents, traps placed correctly and on time, and prevention around the root flare. If you notice gumming at the base of a trunk or a girdling wound from a mower or string trimmer, act fast. Borers often follow mechanical injury.
Reading the signs without guessing wrong
People call us for two kinds of symptoms: sticky and scary. Sticky is honeydew. Scary is sudden lean or limb drop. There is a lot in between, and those subtler signals are often more useful for diagnosing pests.
Look for patterns rather than one-off oddities. Leaves with tiny stippling across the upper surface and speckling on the underside point to lace bugs. Random holes in leaves do not tell you much; uniform windowpane damage might. Woodpecker work is not a pest itself, but heavy activity up and down a trunk, especially on ash or pine, usually means the bird is chasing larvae. Peeling bark near the base can be harmless exfoliation on some species, or a sign of canker and borer entry on others.
The calendar helps. If you are seeing defoliation in April just as leaves emerge, think caterpillars. If leaves look fine until June, then curl and stick, think sucking insects. If a pine goes red in late summer after a dry spell, suspect beetles. The backstory matters too. A new patio, a regrade, or trenching within the dripline may be the real culprit. Pests exploit stress, they rarely cause it on their own in a healthy mature tree.
What you can handle yourself
There are problems that a homeowner can tackle safely and effectively. Small aphid populations, isolated tents, and localized scale on reachable branches are fair game. A strong stream from a hose knocks many soft-bodied insects off. Scraping and disposing of tents in the early morning, when caterpillars are inside, works well. Horticultural oil applied during the dormant season can smother overwintering scale and mites. Mulching correctly, two to three inches deep and kept away from the trunk, restores soil moisture and reduces stress, which is the best defense against pests.
The key is restraint and timing. Blanket spraying broad-spectrum insecticides midseason will kill beneficial predators and can make the pest problem worse later. Systemic treatments, the kind that move through a tree’s vascular system, have specific windows and environmental constraints. Soil drenches around flowering trees pose pollinator risks if misapplied. When in doubt, ask for product guidance from a local extension office, or better, a consultation with a certified arborist.
When to pick up the phone
There is a practical line between homeowner care and professional work, and it is not just about ladders. Safety, tree value, and the risk of misdiagnosis guide that decision. If a pest problem threatens structural integrity, involves the trunk or root flare, or affects a specimen tree that anchors your property, call a tree service.
A short, focused checklist helps here:
- The tree has a sudden lean, cracking sounds, or soil heaving around the base. You see pitch tubes on pines, widespread bark scale on tall crepe myrtles, or extensive borer exit holes on the trunk. Sections of the canopy die back rapidly or wilt sectorally, not uniformly. Honeydew and sooty mold persist across seasons, and the tree looks thin or off-color despite basic care. Any needed work requires climbing near power lines, removing large limbs over structures, or trunk injections and regulated treatments.
Each of these situations has a narrow window where action makes a difference. A tree service can evaluate whether pruning will relieve load and remove infested sections, whether a treatment plan can save the tree, or whether tree removal is the prudent option. Waiting for certainty often removes the middle path and leaves only removal.
How a pro approaches diagnosis
A good arborist starts at the roots and works up. They will ask about changes to grading, irrigation, and construction. They will look at the canopy for distribution of symptoms, then inspect bark for galleries, exit holes, and frass. On pines, they will note the size and color of pitch tubes and whether needles are fading uniformly. On broadleaf trees, they may peel a small strip of bark to inspect the cambium. A pocket knife and a hand lens often beat a spray truck for the first visit.
If treatment makes sense, they will tie it to the pest’s life cycle. That might mean a dormant oil in late winter, a trunk injection in early spring, or a canopy spray timed to egg hatch. For neighborhoods with a lot of similar trees, a coordinated approach yields better results. If every crepe myrtle on the block has bark scale, a single treated yard will see reinfestation. When we handled a row of crepe myrtles along a Lexington cul-de-sac, the HOA’s decision to treat all of them in one schedule cut honeydew complaints by more than 90 percent the next summer.
The safety angle, because pests and physics go together
Pests do not just make a tree look bad. They change how it holds weight. Borers hollow out internal support, and a limb that looks sound from the outside can be a brittle tube. Decay fungi, which often arrive after pests open wounds, can advance unseen. That matters the moment you put a person and a saw in the canopy.
Professional climbers test wood as they move, clip in redundantly, and use rope systems to control limbs as they come down. Ground crews set drop zones and communicate clearly. Homeowners working from ladders often skip those steps, which is why emergency rooms fill up after storms. If a pest issue has turned into deadwood over the driveway, or if you are weighing tree removal near a home or lines, it is time for trained help.
In the Midlands, many homeowners balance multiple mature trees close to structures. Choosing between pruning and removal is part biology and part risk management. The presence of pests is just one factor. A tree service with local experience will weigh target zones, prevailing winds, soil, species, and the specific pests observed. Sometimes the right call is a staged approach, reduce crown weight this season, treat the underlying pest, then reassess next year. Other times, a spiral of borers and decay makes delay a gamble.
The local context: Columbia and Lexington realities
Heat drives pest pressure here. A warm winter means higher overwintering survival for scale and aphids. Dry spells stress pines and maples, making them vulnerable to beetles. Urban heat islands in Columbia push leaf-out earlier, which bumps into caterpillar hatch. Add irrigation overspray wetting trunks, mulch piled against bark, and mower wounds, and you have a recipe for pest entry.
Working in neighborhoods from Shandon to Lake Murray, I see patterns repeat. Crepe myrtle bark scale shows up first in high-heat pockets, along brick walls and south-facing courtyards. Pine beetles spike after summers where lawns were watered but trees were not, a common mismatch. On older properties, buried changes in grade from past landscaping leave root flares buried. That collar of soil and mulch keeps bark wet and soft, which borers love.
Local weather also affects treatment windows. The spring rush is short and furious. Miss the timing by a few weeks and you are paying for sprays that do not touch the target stage. Tree service in Columbia SC often includes scheduling flexibility to catch those windows. If you call in March about lace bug on azaleas, you might get a next-week appointment. If you call in May about a pine turning red, the conversation may be about tree removal rather than rescue, simply because the biology moves faster than we do.
For homeowners in Lexington, lake breezes and open exposures change wind load on trees. An infested pine that might stand through summer in a sheltered lot could fail sooner near the shore. Several calls we took for Tree Removal in Lexington SC over the last few years started as borer concerns and turned into same-week removals after a wind event. The difference between a controlled takedown and a storm failure is often a phone call made a few days earlier.
Costs, trade-offs, and the value of a plan
People want to know what it will cost. It depends, but ranges help you plan. A basic evaluation visit might be nominal or included if work proceeds. Dormant oil sprays for a small ornamental can run in the low hundreds, a trunk injection for a large hemlock or oak more. Large-scale sprays for tall crepe myrtles along a driveway might sit in the mid-hundreds, especially if low-pressure washing is included. Tree removal costs swing widely based on access, size, and risk. Taking down a small pine in an open yard is one price. Dismantling a large pine over a house, piece by piece with a crane, is another.
There is also the trade-off between treatment and removal. Saving a tree that anchors your front yard often pays for itself in property value and shade. Treating pests on a declining tree with structural problems may be money poured into a vessel with a hole. The best tree services will tell you when a treatment is a stopgap and when it has a strong chance of restoring vigor. Ask for a plan that covers monitoring and follow-up, not just a one-time spray.
Simple habits that starve pests of opportunity
Most pest outbreaks piggyback on stress. You can remove a lot of risk with a few habits. Water trees deeply during prolonged dry spells, especially the season after planting and during late summer. Expose the root flare by pulling mulch and soil away from the trunk until you see the buttress roots. Mulch wide, not deep. Prune during the dormant season for most species, and always with clean, sharp tools. Avoid flush cuts. Keep string trimmers off trunks with a clear mulch ring. And when you see something odd, take a photo and note the date. Patterns over time tell a better story than a single snapshot.
How to choose the right help
Not all providers are the same. Credentials matter, but so does how they talk about your trees. If a company’s answer to every pest is the same spray, that is a red flag. If they cannot identify the species in your yard, they are guessing at timing. A good tree service will explain options, including doing nothing and observing for a period. They will talk about thresholds, life cycles, and safety. They will also talk about your goals. If the crepe myrtle over your driveway must be spotless because you park a black car under it, the strategy is different than for a backyard tree.
In the Columbia area, look for experience with our specific mix of hardwoods and pines, and familiarity with utility clearances and city requirements. If you live in Lexington or near the lake, ask how they handle removals in tight lakefront lots and whether they have crane access or alternatives. Whether you search for tree service in Columbia SC or Tree Removal in Lexington SC, a short list of questions will make your first conversation more productive: what pest do you suspect, what timing do you recommend and why, what happens if we wait, and how will you protect nearby plants and pollinators.
A few real-world snapshots
A homeowner in Forest Acres called about “sticky rain” on a patio in June. The crepe myrtle overhead was otherwise green. On inspection, the trunk and lower limbs were covered in bark scale, and the upper canopy was starting to thin. We soft-washed the bark, treated with a targeted product at a label-safe rate for the tree’s size, and scheduled a follow-up dormant oil in winter. The next summer, bloom returned and the patio stayed clean. Could the homeowner have washed it themselves? Maybe, but the 20-foot reach over the patio made it a safety risk, and the consistent follow-through made the difference.
A couple near Lake Murray lost one pine to lightning and asked us to assess the remaining three. Two looked good. The third had small pitch tubes and subtle canopy fade on the south side. We recommended removal within two weeks, because the beetles had likely moved in and would spread. They hesitated for a month, and a windstorm decided the question. The tree failed toward the lake, and we were fortunate it did not hit the house. The removal cost the same, but the stress did not. That is the sort of call no one enjoys making. Early action would have saved worry and Tree Service possibly kept the beetles off the neighbors’ trees.
On a shaded street in Columbia, a line of red maples wore sooty mold like a coat for two consecutive summers. Aphids were the symptom, compacted soil was the cause. We aerated the root zones with an air spade, added two inches of coarse mulch, and adjusted irrigation. We skipped insecticides. Beneficials returned, and aphid pressure dropped without chemicals. The cure fit the real problem.
Bringing it all together
Trees are slow to complain and quick to forgive if you read them right. Pests show up as much as a measure of the tree’s stress as they do a problem to spray away. If you learn the common signs, match pests to species, and pay attention to timing, you will prevent most crises. When you do need help, bring in a tree service that looks at the whole picture. In this region, where summer heat and quick storms raise the stakes, that judgment call sometimes means stepping straight to tree removal. Other times it means a measured plan and a return to health.
If you are staring at pitch tubes on a pine, wiping honeydew off a car under a crepe myrtle, or wondering whether that sudden lean is as bad as it looks, do not wait. A short visit from a knowledgeable crew can turn uncertainty into a clear path forward. Whether you search for tree service in Columbia SC to tame a pest wave or schedule Tree Removal in Lexington SC for a compromised pine, the right timing is rarely next season.