What's eating my monkey puzzle tree?

Monkey Puzzle Tree has very few serious pests thanks to its tough, spine-tipped leaves. Adelgids can occasionally colonize shoots, and scale insects appear on weakened trees. In gardens, squirrels and parakeets take the large seeds. Root rot from waterlogged soil is more commonly the killer than any insect pest.

White woolly wax deposits at needle bases and shoot tips; slight yellowing of new growth; rarely causes serious damage on vigorous trees Spray with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil in spring when crawlers are active; a single treatment usually sufficient

Brown waxy bumps on stems and branch undersides; sticky honeydew and sooty mold; yellowing foliage on heavily infested trees Scrape off accessible scales manually; apply horticultural oil in late winter; systemic imidacloprid for severe cases

Cones chewed open and large seeds extracted before maturity; significant seed crop loss, especially in urban plantings Net mature cones or harvest promptly; no effective deterrent for ring-necked parakeets in the UK