Sticky Sidewalks Downtown
San Carlos city crews are stepping up efforts to tackle the sticky sidewalks downtown from of a persistent infestation by aphids, as those along Laurel Street and San Carlos Avenue become increasingly sticky and challenging for pedestrians this time of the year. For several years now during fall, aphids, tiny insects that feed on tree sap, have been creating a “sticky situation” coating sidewalks with a residue from their excrement.
According to a recent interview with San Carlos Public Works Director Steven Machida, the intensity of aphid infestations varies year on year. Sometimes, there is a light infestation, while other times its heavier than usual. They had anticipated a lighter infestation this year; however, the infestation seems to have grown in the latter part of the season.
The Reason Behind This
Machida explained that the city’s downtown trees—planted decades ago—are now facing new challenges as they age. Note that the same trees have been in Laurel Street for many years, yet it’s only during the past several years that aphids have started to thrive on them.
According to Machida, as trees grow older, their roots tend to expand; and with limited space to expand in, their roots become cramped. This causes stress on the trees, and in response, the trees may release organic chemicals and sap which tend to attract more aphids. To settle some questions: the aphid infestation has little (or no relation at all) with the species of trees.
What The City Is Doing
The city has refrained from using topical insecticide sprays due to the dense downtown setting, where exposure could affect people, nearby parklets, and local businesses. In order to minimize exposure, they use a systemic approach: applying insecticide directly to the trees’ roots to prevent aphids from gathering.
“In the past, we have used clear water / soapy water treatment to clean the leaves, but because we’re in downtown, the parklets, and a lot of furniture, we haven’t done that as much as we would have wanted to” Machida replied. As with last year, the city has implemented a routine sidewalk washing (every Tuesday and Thursday) for each affected block along Laurel Street and San Carlos Avenue – a measure that will continue until all leaves have dropped and the aphid population decreases.
Various pest population studies suggest that warmer temperatures can enable aphids to reproduce more frequently, potentially leading to larger infestations. With a licensed arborist in their team, the Office of Public Works will continue to work out solutions with the City in line with the changing climate we live in.
Considering natural solutions, upcoming downtown renovations may also be an opportunity to allot more space for these aging trees to be restored to health. Adding more plant life may also attract natural aphid predators, such as ladybugs, lacewings, and other predator insects. The aphid infestation seems to be the result of an imbalance in Downtown’s natural ecosystem, and restoring that is a win-win situation for all.
Resources
- Interview with Steven Machida, Director of the San Carlos Office of Public Works
- https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0106228
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pest_insect_population_dynamics
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4613-9044-2_2
- https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-90-481-8601-3_1
- https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/san-carlos-addresses-sticky-situation-on-laurel-street/article_21c1ea88-6fb3-11ee-9b84-ff8d2796f0e9.html
- https://scotscoop.com/san-carlos-battles-aphid-infestation/
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