Question
QUESTION: I live in NY State.  I believe my Maple has signs of Gallmaking Maple Borer.  What insecticide would be used for remediation?

ANSWER: I am not sure what you are describing--Maple petiole bores or Callus borer or maple borer.

Maple petiole borer, Caulocampus acericaulis.
In certain years under sugar maple trees near the last of May, one may see on the ground many fallen green leaves with their stems severed a half inch or less from the blade. The blades drop first and a few days later the stems fall. The insect responsible for this injury is a small sawfly that lays an egg in the leaf stem. The larva tunnels in the stem and just before maturing cuts it off. The larva drops and enters the ground to pupate and remains there until the following spring. Imidacloprid, which is among the compounds registered for control of this pest applied as a soil applied systemic to be taken up by the roots may be effective against this pest.

Maple callus borer, Synanthedon acerni.
The larva of this clearwing moth is a borer in maple trees, especially around wounds. There is one generation each year. The moth has a wing spread of about an inch; both fore and rear wings are transparent with narrow purplish margins, tips of forewings are pale yellow, and there is a conspicuous black mark 2/3 of the way toward the tip of the front wing. Prevention of injury will be helpful in keeping the larvae out of the trees. Keeping trees vigorous and irrigated during prolonged drought helps to reduce borer injury. Merit is an insecticide that will control this insect applied as a trunk spray can control the moths before they lay eggs and the larvae in the trunk. A more thorough control would be expected if treatments are timed to coincide with adult activity.

Sugar maple borer, Glycobius speciosus.
This is the most destructive pest of the sugar maple. It is a beautiful, black, longhorned beetle with brilliant yellow decorations, including a W-shaped mark across the base of the wing covers. It is about an inch long and emerges in July. The female lays eggs in slits in the bark, and the young larvae tunnel in the inner bark and sapwood, overwinter in a chamber excavated in the sapwood, and the following spring cut large galleries in various directions, though usually in a spiral course upward and partly around the trunk. Sometimes two or more borers in a tree may completely girdle the trunk and the tree breaks. They pass the second winter in chambers 4" from the bark. Two years are required to complete the life cycle. Tree growth over the wound generally results in a series of scars and ridges that show prominently on the trunk.

Choice shade trees may be examined carefully at least twice a year, in September and May, for sawdust on the bark. When a burrow has been discovered, the grubs may be cut out, or killed by running a wire into the burrow. The opening to the burrow may then be closed. Maintaining adequate watering may be helpful in preventing infestation. Or spray the trunk with Merit.



If these are not the pest damages you are seeing please write back with more information as to what the damage looks like.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION:   Based on the look of the damage (see link) I believe it is a Xylotrechus aceris fisher.   http://www.invasive.org/browse/subject.cfm?sub=2141  
and
http://bugguide.net/node/view/67397/bgimage

Answer
Merit sprayed on the areas infested will kill the borer in the tree.
Imidacloprid is the active ingredient in Merit Insecticide and in the Bayer Advanced branded insecticides that are intended for the homeowner market.  There are two product lines based on the active ingredient imidacloprid that are marketed to farmers, landscapers and home gardeners. Merit Insecticide is the commercial or agricultural line while Bayer Advanced is the homeowner product line. Within these two broad product lines there are many different formulations and package sizes. Generally, products with the Merit label have a higher active ingredient concentration while the Bayer Advanced packaging is smaller with a lower active ingredient concentration. Bayer Advanced products may contain active ingredients other than imidacloprid as well.
Check with your local nursery/garden type store for these.