QuestionI live in NW Georgia and have a small fig tree appx. 3 years, 4 feet high and wide. This year it has little white spindle looking sticks(up to 1 inch) protruding from the branches. They are moderately covering the branches and those branches do not have leaves, as in didn't sprout. Some of the other branches without the white stuff do have leaves. They easily brush off when touched. I would describe this year to have higher than average rainfall. Any ideas on what this is and what to do about it? Thanks.
AnswerSounds like one of the borer type insects the GRANULATE AMBROSIA BEETLE fits the description you gave. This may not be the exact insect but the general control methods are the same for all borers. I would do a couple of things to control and prevent further attack. First remove the dead branches and destroy or get them off your property (this will remove any insect in the dead material and reduce the chance of re-infestation). Second spray the remaining trunk and branches with an insecticide for borers Onyx or Merit are two good ones but others will also work. Check with your local nursery for an insecticide fro Borers on fruit trees. Since this is a fruit tree I would not use one of the newer soil applied insecticides since these can be transported to the fruit. The sprayed insecticide will be safe and the fruit can be eaten after it is washed. Thirdly I would fertilize the tree with 10-10-10 at the rate of 1 lb per inch of trunk diameter this will increase the overall health of the tree. Borers seem to attack trees under stress. Here is a web link to information on GRANULATE AMBROSIA BEETLE http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/O&T/trees/note111/note111.html
