This periodic activity will protect and preserve exposed wood for another season. If your junipers or other conifers appear to be sickly and pale in color look for spider mites. These tiny insects are of the sucking variety and can cause considerable damage. You must constantly check for their presence with the traditional test of holding a white piece of paper below a branch, tap the branch and watch for the movement of the tiny red specks. Mites can affect a plant by fading color and brown growing tips.
Treatment is relatively easy.
A strong spray of water drives them away but doesn t destroy them. They come back home. Better to spray thoroughly with Malathion or Isotex, mixed with some Volck Oil to make the insecticide stick. Warming summer weather brings out hordes of aphids. They love pyracantha , flowering fruit trees and almost everything.