Trees, like other living things, will sometimes have pest and diseases problems. Like other living things, the healthier they are the fewer problems we would expect them to have, and the less damaging those problems are likely to be. Most of the insects you will see in your landscape ARE NOT harmful pests. Don’t kill them just because they are icky and have six legs! Find out if they are really a problem, and if so, how bad of a problem, before spraying toxic chemicals into the environment in an attempt to kill them. Environmental stress underlies many of the pest and/or disease problems our trees have. Trees struggling to grow can’t protect themselves as well as trees growing strongly. The most common environmental stresses in Albuquerque are lack of water, and heat stress; those two often occur together. Likewise, often pests and diseases occur together, with one following the other into a target tree. Discovering and resolving the stress factor may be the most important step in addressing pest or disease problems.