To monitor, shake buds and new leaves over a white sheet of paper and look for tiny, green midges, plant bugs and mites. Pine shoot beetle larvae are developing at this time. Contact your local CFIA office for details of the Pine Shoot Beetle Compliance Program 2000. Spruce spider mites are active at this time. The nymphs and adults feed suck plant sap from many evergreens including spruce, juniper, cedar and hemlock.
Damage appears as bronzing of the foliage.
To monitor, hold a piece of white paper deep inside the tree, shake the branch above and look for tiny mites that sit on the paper. The nymphs are susceptible to chemical control at this time. SSM feeds during the cool spring and fall weather. Overwintering larvae of spruce budworm may still be feeding. Look for a black headed, brown bodied larva with 4 spots along the back of each segment on spruce and fir.