- The mesquite tree can attain a height of up to 30 feet. It produces either a single trunk or multiple trunks. The tree thrives in arid desert-like regions. A member of the legume family, the trees produce nitrogen through their root system, which enables them to succeed in nutrient-poor soil regions. For optimum growth, they require full sunlight. Mesquite trees suffering weakness can become infected with rounded-headed borer insects; the oldman longhorn, mesquite borer and mesquite girdler all appear on mesquite trees. The mesquite girdler usually attacks young trees.
- The mesquite borer (Placosternus difficilis) bears a striking resemblance to a yellow and black wasp. The oldman longhorn beetle (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) sports extremely long antennae and a dark body. The insects invade weakened or damaged trees. They burrow beneath the bark of the tree where they lay eggs. The eggs hatch in larvae, which further tunnel out the tree's wood. The infested tree will usually begin to reveal yellowing foliage and leaf loss. The holes where the insect damaged the tree's bark will begin to show oozing. Entire branches may perish from an infestation of the borer insects. Application of pesticides to the tree's bark is rarely effective. Consider pruning away diseases limbs and discarding.
- The mesquite girdler (Oncideres rhodosticta) plagues young mesquite trees. It will also appear on acacia trees. The huisache girdler (Oncideres pustulata) also regularly infests mesquite trees. The beetles sport long antennae and a body that measures approximately 1/2 to 3/4 inch long. The hard, dark, brown wing coverings usually have lighter, brown spots across their surface. The female insects chew through the tree's bark on its branches. The branches eventually become girdled from the intense chewing, which causes the whole branch to die. Gather up all the diseases branches, and promptly destroy them to effectively eliminate the larvae that feed below the bark's surface. Consider using fall applications of insecticides for girdlers. Follow the directions on the insecticide's label.
- Mealy bugs can also appear on the mesquite tree. Hose the insects from the tree using a powerful surge of water every day for three or four days to gain control. Mesquite scale insects (Xerophilaspis prosopidis) can occur along the tree's twigs and branches. The insects encase themselves in a hard, immobile shell on the tree. Under the cover of the protective scale, they suck the tree's nutrients using their sharp, piercing mouth. Heavily infested branches may exhibit foliage wilting or deformity. Horticultural oils and systemic insecticides work to control insects. The scale pests also have many natural predators, such as parasitic wasps.
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