Question From: D. Moody - Riverside, California, United States
Q: Hi. I have about 7 daisy bushes. On two of my daisy bushes (planted in 1998), I noticed cracks in the trunk, and the bush appeared by be very brittle. In fact one trunk broke with little effort. Then, I saw that on the inside of the trunk and surrounded shoots, it had white larvae like bugs, that for some reason I suspected are termites. I sent a photo to the local nursery and they said they are termites and I should cut them down. I cut down 3 of the bushes. One bush I practically pulled out of the ground by hand. I have three left, and I am wondering should I pull them all up. What is your recommendation on this--should I be concerned about the remainder of my bushes?
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A: I live in Michigan and am not familiar with this kind of termite damage. That said, I find it hard to believe that the insects have not attacked the remaining shrubs. You may want to get an onsite inspection from a professional, a certified arborist if you can't bear to part with them. To find one in your area go to www.tcia.org and enter your zip code. Best Nancy
