Insect activity is serious problem for Leyland Cyprus trees. Because this tree is a conifer and not a deciduous tree, it is a very unpleasant host for most bugs according to landscaping experts. However, bagworms and spider mites are two bugs that enjoy the comforts Cyprus trees offer and can cause serious problems such as discoloration, a loss of foliage and sometimes even death if their activity goes unnoticed and untreated.
With each generation, the bagworm infestation becomes larger and larger. Landscaping professionals say a female bagworm will produce between 500 and 1,000 eggs before she dies. When the bagworm larvae emerge, they either remain on the host tree or will spin a silken thread and “fly” to a nearby tree or plant. It is this fact that makes bagworms not only a threat to the Leyland Cyprus, but to all nearby ornamentals. A few generations of bagworms can destroy an entire Long Island landscape. While the larvae cocoon in the bags they create, they feed on the surface of the leaves, stripping the leaf of its epidermis. As they evolve into caterpillars, entire branches of the Leyland Cyprus can become completely defoliated. Landscaping experts say it is easier to control bagworm infestations by removing the bags they form by hand in the early spring or fall before the larvae have hatched. However, if the Leyland Cyprus is too large for this, it can be sprayed by a qualified landscaping agent with an effective insecticide. If the bagworms have already hatched, they are more difficult to control with sprays.
Landscaping experts say spider mites are another problem for the Leyland Cyprus. Unfortunately, they are also the most difficult to control. Since spider mites have been an irritant for Leyland Cyprus trees for so long, they have developed immunity to many different chemicals that had been used to kill these destructive insects. They adversely affect the Leyland Cyprus by piercing the tree with their mouths and sucking out the sap, resulting in discolored needles. If the feeding continues uninterrupted and untreated by landscaping professionals, the needles will eventually turn brown, die and fall off. Spider mites can be fatal to the Leyland Cyprus, so it is important to get populations under control immediately. Landscaping technicians discourage the use of insecticides on this particular tree because other beneficial bugs will be killed as well. Talk to your landscaping company on the best solution for eliminating spider mites from your Leyland Cypruss
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