New strategies to tackle elm beetle onslaught

In recent weeks elm beetles have struck in Cook Park, in high profile streets such as March Street and Prince Street and in private and public gardens across our city - such as Duntryleague Golf Course. The swarms of beetles eat the trees’ leaves which would normally be green at this time of year. The trees shed most of their leaves, leaving piles of skeletonized leaves on the ground.

Orange City Council’s Cr Russell Turner said while the beetle attacks don’t kill the tree, prolonged attacks over a number of years will weaken the tree.

“In Cook Park, this is the second year that the parks staff have noticed damage to the avenue of elm trees, but this year has certainly been the worst”, Cr Russell Turner said.

“It looks like Autumn has come early for this row of elm trees.”

“At the base of the trees there are mounds of skeletonized leaves which have fallen

after the beetles have attacked.”

“It’s important to remember that the Elm Beetle problem is one that has affected large parts of southern Australia, and there are no easy answers. But we’ll be doing what we can to slow the pace of this problem.”

1. Last Winter insecticide was added to the soil around elm trees in Prince Street. In the Springtime, the insecticide is absorbed into the roots and up into the leaves, which poisons the beetles. This chemical will be used in Cook Park next year. Other chemicals, which can have a broader impact on soil organisms and nearby waterways, are not being used.

2. The most effective non-chemical strategy is to apply double-sided sticky tape to the

trunks of the trees in Spring and early Summer. This catches the beetles and the beetlelarvae

as they move up and down the tree, interrupting the life-cycle. Residents have tied tape around trees in March Street and the tape will be applied to trees in Cook Park in the coming years. Trees were banded with tape in the Adventure playground last year.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t a problem that’s going to be solved easily. I’d also encourage local residents to keep an eye on elm trees on their privately-owned land and in nearby streets. A community wide response might reduce the number of beetles, and slow down the spread of this problem.”

BANDING TOGETHER: Residents can place double-sided, water-proof tape around the trunks of Elms to combat the beetle.