National Arborists
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AVOID DOOR-TO-DOOR SALESMEN SOLICITING TREE CARE AFTER A STORM

Miami, FL

Homeowners should watch out for scam artists posing as arborists after storms damage trees and uproot trees. It’s not unusual for “tree specialists” to go door to door after a storm to offer their services to repair damaged trees or remove a fallen tree. All too often these “arborists” have little or no training in tree care and are not licensed or insured to offer tree care services.

Homeowners should make sure they are dealing with a reputable tree care service when they need to repair damaged trees or need to remove a fallen tree. Legitimate tree care services rarely need to go door to door to find tree care work after a storm.

Guidelines to find a tree care service after a storm:

Ask for proof of insurance showing the tree care service is fully insured to perform tree trimming or tree removal.

Find out if the tree service, or arborist, is a member of a professional association such as the Tree Care Industry Association, International Society of Arboriculture, or the American Society of Consulting Arborists.

Investigate as to whether the tree service, or arborist, is a legitimate tree service by looking them up in the phone book under “Tree Service”, or going to their website.

Homeowners can also protect themselves by getting more than one estimate for the tree care work to make sure the price they are being offered is reasonable. A written estimate should indicate if the tree branches and wood is going to be removed from the property. In the case of a tree removal the estimate should state if stump grinding is included in the tree removal price.

WHITEFLY CONTINUES TO PLAGUE KEY BISCAYNE TREES

Key Biscayne, FL

Despite efforts to control the Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, believed to have come from Central America, the insect is still causing a mess around Key Biscayne. Initially found on Gumbo Limbo trees, the whitefly is now known to feed on a wide variety of trees, shrubs, or ferns.

The Rugose Spiraling Whitefly looks like a small, white moth. Its name comes from the spiral patterns that the female whitefly insect makes on the bottom of a leaf after laying her eggs. While feeding the insect exudes a sugary substance called honeydew. The honeydew may then become home to a fungus called sooty mold.

Tree services can offer several options to help prevent tree damage and control Rugose Spiraling Whitefly, Depending on plant size and location, arborists may be able to spray trees, perform insecticide soil injections, or inject insecticide directly into a tree trunk.