Bay Tree Sucker damage
HOW TO TREAT BAY TREE SUCKER
Contact sprays don’t work with Bay Tree Sucker because it hides under the curls of leaves and also has a scaly surface. Systemic sprays can be of some use against this pest but are not the complete answer.
The two sprays we would recommend are Provado Ultimate Bug Killer or Scots Bug Clear.
Non-chemical control, which is more effective compared to chemical control, is to remove affected leaves as soon as they are noticed and burn them.
BAY TREE SUCKER
By David Marks
Bay Tree Suckers are small insects (about 4mm long which feed off the sap of bay tree leaves. They cause most damage from May to September. The official name is Lauritrioza alacris.
The first signs you will notice are the edges of some leaves curling inwards and start to thicken. The edges turn yellow then brown.
Where the leaves curl, if you look closely, you may see small insects under the surface. Although unsightly, the health of the tree is not normally affected.