During severe infestation, an insecticide or biological control such as Bt.K may be considered as a viable option.
Homeowners can consider consulting with, and hiring a licensed arborist or contractor to apply sprays or tree injections. Timing of the application and the treatment of the entire canopy is essential to the success of control.
Spray applications do not produce an instant defense and will not completely eradicate the problem, but it can be very effective in reducing the insect population when used appropriately. Limiting factors to consider when using a spray application can include the current season and lifecycle of the pest, timing of the day, weather conditions and patterns as these products need time to dry on the trees' foliage and in some cases, such as Bt.K, will require multiple applications for the desired level of control.