What's eating my acer capillipes?

Acer capillipes (snakebark maple) is troubled mainly by aphids and horse chestnut scale outdoors. Deer and grey squirrels can browse young shoots or strip bark. The most serious ongoing threat is aphid colonies in spring, which cause leaf curl and sticky honeydew that leads to sooty mould.

Clustered colonies on new growth cause leaf curl, sticky honeydew, and secondary sooty mould on leaves and stems. Blast off with a strong water jet; encourage ladybirds and lacewings. Use insecticidal soap or neem oil spray for heavy infestations.

White waxy egg sacs on bark in early summer; heavy infestations cause die-back of branches and bark discolouration. Scrape egg masses off bark manually. Apply plant oil or fatty acid sprays when crawlers are active in late spring.

Strip smooth ornamental bark from trunk and main branches in late spring, often girdling the tree and causing die-back. Wrap trunks of young trees with spiral guards or wire mesh. No effective chemical deterrent; physical barriers are the main option.