Why did your white birch tree bud in spring and then the buds died off?

Answer 1

Image Courtesy Canadian Forest Service

The birch tree miner is a threat to a birch tree and it is the larvae of the birch leaf miner which causes damage by burrowing into birch leaves in search of nutrients. The first indications of birch miner infestation are small green spots on the leaf surface, usually noticeable in May or June, which develop into ugly brown splotches. A birch leaf miner infestation rarely kills birch trees on its own but it is disfiguring and can weaken a tree. The leaf miner season begins in late April to mid May with eggs laid in slits on the upper surfaces of birch leaves. Of the number of pests which are attracted the birch trees, the bronze birch borer is the most important as it is both lethal and difficult to control. Evidence of borer infestation is a progressive thinning of the crown of the tree beginning at the top. Trees generally die after about two or three years, that is, after two or three infestations by the larvae. If caught early enough, there are insecticides available to prevent new infestations of the borer but these will not kill larvae already active in the tree. Insecticides such as dormant oil control only the egg stage. Trees with advanced crown loss will not benefit from insecticide use and should be removed. The good news is that healthy, well-situated, well-maintained birches are more resistant to the borer. Females prefer to lay eggs in the sunlight and are less attracted to trees whose trunks are shaded. The insects are also attracted to tree wounds and so care should be taken to avoid damaging the bark of trees.

Image Courtesy Canadian Forest Service