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Odd Bug and Dead Young Tree (IL)

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From: linda kowalczyk
City:
skokie, IL
During a walk, I found a young tree that is completely infested with an odd bug. The tree is completely dead. Hanging from the branches are threads, at the end of the threads there are what looks like tiny (up to 1 inch long) dead leaves, or tiny pieces of bark. Upon further inspection, I noticed that these little dead leaves/bark pieces were actually moving all over the tree bark and the ground. Looking even closer one can see that the leafy things are actually little houses for a small black worm-like organism. These creatures have already spread to the next tree. What are these bugs?

 
Extension Message
From: Jay Hayek
Extension Specialist, Forestry
Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences
jhayek@illinois.edu
Greetings Linda:

Well, I can't say that this bug had anything to do with the mortality of this tree -- maybe it did, maybe it didn't.

Can you take some digital pictures and insect samples to your local U of I Extension office for identification???

 
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