Black Olive Shield - Stain Prevention
Black Olive Shield by Zimmerman Tree Service can help customers prevent stains from Florida’s Black Olive trees. The Black Olive tree, Bucida Buceras, is commonly found in residential landscapes in Southern Florida. Many people don’t know that the staining isn’t caused by tree leaves or flowers. In fact, it is caused by the droppings from the pests that feed off the foliage of the tree:
- Bucida Caterpillar – Also known as the Black Olive caterpillar or Characoma nilotica, the larvae feed off the leaves and flowers. They have been known to defoliate black olive trees. The feeding leads to frass production, which is the excrement of insect larvae. This frass then leaves a rust-colored stain on sidewalks, streets, and any object under the tree’s canopy.
- Eriophyid Mite – The feeding by these mites, or Eriophyidae, creates slim enlargements of the fruit, known as a flower ovary. These string bean-looking structures can become moist and release a rust-colored oily substance that stains anything under the canopy.
The insects don’t affect the health of the trees. However, they leave the owners unhappy as they have to deal with the black olive tree stains.
These stains can lead to the driveway, sidewalk, car, and roof looking unsightly. Not to mention that if the stains are on the driveway and sidewalk, it can cause the area to become slippery, which can be a liability. Our tree experts have seen these stains peel the paint off cars, and owners are becoming increasingly frustrated because pressure cleaning does very little to help.
Are Black Olive trees really this messy? They don’t have to be and won’t be if you use our Black Olive Shield.
Our prevention tactic for Black Olive stains is an insecticide injection in the trunk of your tree. This will target the caterpillars and mites that feed on the flowers of the Black Olive trees that Florida is abundant in. Our injections are environmentally safe and not harmful to animals or humans. Black Olive Shield involves injecting the insecticide directly into a tree’s vascular tissue. This keeps the product enclosed in the tree and away from pets and other wildlife. Process holes are created in the tree to reach the vascular tissue during the injection. Black Olive Trees will naturally grow over time and cover these holes, solidifying that the insecticide stays inside the trees. This ensures the maximum effectiveness of the prevention treatment. A key factor in the prevention process is the timing of it. The window of control or application needs to be done when the trees are flowering, typically around February and March. To learn how to prevent black stains on roof shingles, sidewalks, cars, and more, make an appointment with us.
