Question
I have lived in my home for 15 years and have never had a year like this one. The sap from the maple trees around the area is terrible. I have to wash my car and driveway off every day. Can you shed some light on this problem. Thank You

Answer
Sounds like either an insect called an aphid or a scale. Both of these insects suck the plant juices from the plant and secrete a substance called honeydew-which is high in sugar content and sticky. Control the insects and the sap dripping will stop. I would treat the trees with an insecticide called Bayer Advanced Tree and Shrub Insect control. This is applied to the soil around the tree and the roots will transport it  the leaves and twigs and when the insect suck the plant juices they are killed. It will take a couple of weeks for the insecticide to reach the top of large trees. It will give you control for the season, You can spray the trees but normally they are too large for a sprayer to reach unless you hire someone to do this. Check with your local garden type store for this product. Here is a web link to the Bayer product. http://www.bayeradvanced.com/tree-shrub-care/products/12-month-tree-shrub-insect...