Question
Aspen fuzzies
There are white "fuzballs" on the trunk of many of my apsen. I have tried just washing them off but they always come back.
AnswerMike:
Difficult to determine if this is an insect or a fungus. Remove a small piece (1/8") in this area to see if it is dead (brown/black) or living (green) using the tip of your knife. If the area is brown or black beneath this area, then this may be a fungus causing a canker or lesion underneath the bark.
This may also be an insect such as wooly aphids or scale insect. It would need to be examined under some magnification to determine. You may want to remove a small (1") section of spotted bark and carry to your local nursery or garden center to see if they can ID.
I would be inclined to think these may be insect, especially if the tree is not showing any signs of dying or decline at this time.
Regards
Steve
