Nebraska

Some southeast Nebraskans are still battling oak itch mites despite cooler weather. While the tiny biting pests have led some frustrated homeowners to consider removing their oaks, Nebraska Forest Service experts urge people not to be hasty.

Chip Murrow, community forester assistant, said some people think removing the tree is a simple solution. He calls it "a bad idea," adding that removal has significant short- and long-term implications.

Itch mite bites are uncomfortable and, in severe cases, infestations have made it hard for people to enjoy their yards this fall. The mites feed on an insect that creates galls on leaves of pin oaks, red oaks and black oaks. As the name implies, the mite's itchy red bites are irritating but not life threatening.

While people's frustration is understandable, Murrow said, removing healthy oaks is a drastic and potentially expensive step that may not solve the problem if there are other oaks in the neighborhood.

Homeowners should expect to spend between $1,000 to $5,000 to have a tree cut down and hauled away. It could cost up to another $600 to have the stump removed and the hole filled. While the cost can be significant, tree removal is best left to experts. Murrow said homeowners should contact a certified arborist if they legitimately need a tree removed.

"Most trees on private property are not where a bucket truck can reach them so the tree has to be climbed," Murrow said. "Many of these trees are near structures or other property and must be removed carefully to prevent injuries and property damage." If a tree is on city property, such as a right-of-way, homeowners must get permission from the city to have a tree removed.

Mites can blow into a yard from nearby trees so removing a tree may not solve the problem if there are other affected oaks in the neighborhood.

Oak mites are a relatively new pest and are not likely to be a problem every year, University of Nebraska-Lincoln entomologists said.

Mark Harrell, forest health program leader for the Nebraska Forest Service, agreed that most insect pests of trees, like the gall insect on which itch mites feed, are cyclical. Their populations grow for a few years then begin to decline. The number of gall insects probably will decrease in the next year or so. If that happens, the number of itch mites also will decline.

While mite problems are likely cyclical, mature trees provide benefits all year including shade and wind protection that reduce energy costs.

Established trees can cut summer cooling bills by 5 percent to 10 percent and winter heating bills by 3 percent to 5 percent, Murrow said. Landscape trees also can increase property values 5 percent to 20 percent, depending on the size, number and species on the property.

"Most of these oaks have been here 40 to 50 years and the oak itch mite problem only the last two to three years," Murrow said. "It would be a shame to remove such well-established oaks because of a problem that may not even happen every year."

For more information about itch mites, consult UNL Extension NebFact, NF05-563, Pyemotes Itch Mites, available from local extension offices or on the Web at http://ianrpubs.unl.edu/insects/nf653.pdf.

The Nebraska Forest Service is part of the university's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.