Tree Sap

[Aitch]

This might help someone with a similar problem.

We have a rather large Oak tree in the corner of the drive and for a number of years now we've been plagued with a sticky substance falling from the leaves. On a bright day, in the right conditions you could actually see it falling as tiny droplets like golden syrup resulting in a sticky goo over every surface.

The cars were covered and the gravel would stick to the soles of your shoes and tyres. It took extra effort to open a car door. It got so bad, I kept a bucket of soapy water out there to wash the car windows every time one was needed to be used. Opening a car window, without washing the stuff off, caused the motors to strain and left a sticky smear on the whole surface. No sooner was a car washed, than the goo was back. Cleaning cars was futile.

A google of 'sticky tree sap' revealed that it wasn't sap at all but honeydew, the excreta of aphids. Further, the sugary discharge was beloved by ants who actually farm and protect the little ******s and attack any of the aphids' natural predators. A close examination of the blackened oak leaves (the goo promotes a black fungus) and sure enough, there were the aphids and marching up and down the tree trunk were the ants.

That all came to light last year, so this, I was determined to wage ant/aphid wars. I'm no horticulturalist or arborialist, I just do slash and burn usually but I do like having the trees and the Oak did seem to be suffering too. First move was to prevent the ants from reaching and protecting the aphids. This was achieved by using a barrier glue around the trunk. Glue bands are available for smooth barked trees but the Oak has a deep crevassed, bark so it called for glue. It can be bought in tubes, similar size to mastic tubes and applied using a mastic gun. One tube did this tree with a thick application around the trunk in an unbroken line. The glue was successful in stopping the ants but aphids were still present and producing their 'honeydew' although not so much so, next move was to get their natural predator in on the action and 500 ladybird larvae were bought from ebay and distributed among the branches.

4-5 weeks later and the outcome is, no goo! It actually worked and I can now wash a car, leave it under the tree and just get in and drive off the next day. Still get the usual detritus falling but it mostly just blows off.

Next will be the bombardment of acorns raining down but that's a few weeks away yet.

[cj10jeeper]

Interesting story. I am a keen gardener and have experienced similar problems before. Mature deciduous trees at the main culprits of this as they host so much insect life and it's a real pita for anything that's underneath them

Have done similar to you but only on smaller apple trees to prevent the cycle of life if the maggots and critters that attach apples.

Forgot all my learnings and parked near a tree in the Lakes recently thinking I was too early in the season for the problem and out of direct plumb line and paid the price as enough drifted to reach half my car

[Aitch]

I checked again today and found a line of ants marching, or rather running, up and down the trunk. The little horrors had found a path under the glue in a particularly rough bit of bark. Some prodding with a small stick eased the glue down and blocked their path again.

I also noticed an abundance of quite diverse insect life is now established on the upper side of the glue line with quite a variety of deceased unfortunates in the glue.

[Tel]

I checked again today and found a line of ants marching, or rather running, up and down the trunk. The little horrors had found a path under the glue in a particularly rough bit of bark. Some prodding with a small stick eased the glue down and blocked their path again.

I also noticed an abundance of quite diverse insect life is now established on the upper side of the glue line with quite a variety of deceased unfortunates in the glue.

Such a great story should be accompanied by pictures!

[Aitch]

Such a great story should be accompanied by pictures!

You only had to say

No pix of the oak as the bark is too dark to show the ants clearly but here's one of the ants around the aphids on walnut leaves.



And a vid of the ants either side of the freshly applied glue to the walnut, where I found the same activity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q1PAam ... e=youtu.be

[Tel]

Marvellous....seems to work a treat.

I have the same issue with a very old, large Oak, but it's about 20' away...it 'rains' sap everywhere.

[Aitch]

Marvellous....seems to work a treat.

I have the same issue with a very old, large Oak, but it's about 20' away...it 'rains' sap everywhere.

Delighted you found it useful. I was quite ignorant of what was causing of the 'sap' so last year I decided to try to do some research rather than just complaining. The difference now is night & day with nothing apparent falling from the tree.