Three Pests That Tree Stumps Can Attract

A tree stump in your garden may not seem like a huge problem, especially if you think it will take time and effort to remove the offending object. However, tree stumps aren't as harmless as you may think. Learn more about three garden pests that a tree stump can attract, and find out why you may want to arrange for somebody to take the old tree away.

Brown root rot

A rotting tree stump can provide a nutritious place for fungi to grow and thrive. You may think that a wood rotting fungus is actually a good thing to grow because the organism will eventually eat away the unwanted tree stump, but fungi can cause several problems elsewhere in the garden.

Brown root rot is a fungal pathogen that can kill healthy trees. The fungus can remain in a tree stump and the surrounding soil for 60 years, so if you don't remove this food source, you could endanger other trees in your garden. 

Armillaria root rot

Armillaria root rot is another fungal infection that is particularly problematic for anyone who grows citrus fruit trees. Infected trees often start by showing problems with leaf yellowing and leaf drop, but after a short time, the trees become so weak that they may collapse and die.

The infection spreads through long, thin strands that botanists refer to as rhizomorphs. These rhizomorphs look a little like shoelaces and will spread the infection from root to root. They also live on native trees, old roots and tree stumps. Remove unwanted stumps to take away the fungus's food source.

White ants

White ants (generally known as termites elsewhere in the world) are small, soft-bodied insects with a voracious appetite for timber. Structural damage from white ants is increasingly common in Australia, and experts estimate that around one-third of unprotected properties are subject to attacks.

White ants build their nests in various places, but tree stumps provide a convenient home for a new colony of these pests, which could house hundreds of thousands of the critters. Not all species will attack dry timber, but a destructive visit by a colony of white ants could destroy the wall and roof frame timbers in your home within three months. As such, you should remove any tree stumps in your garden that could encourage white ants to set up a new colony.

Tree stumps aren't just an ugly nuisance that gets in the way when you try to mow your lawn. If you leave rotting stumps in your garden, you could attract unwanted pests. Talk to a tree stump removal company for information and advice about how to remove tree stumps from your garden.