Tree Service Knowledge Base
Redwood Bark Beetle: What Bay Area Homeowners Should Watch For
The tallest trees on Earth often host a beetle about the size of a grain of rice within their bark. Known as the redwood bark
October 23, 2026
You may count on your trees for shade, privacy, and even a bump in property value, but they rely on you just as much. To stay healthy and keep offering those benefits, they need consistent care and the right support to grow. That’s why having a dependable team of tree-care professionals is so important. The right experts can help your trees stay strong, resist pests and disease, and grow the way they’re meant to. And if you’re in Scotts Valley, you won’t have to search far for that kind of help:
Simply contact the experts at Adney Tree Service!
Our shop is at 335 Spreckels Drive in Aptos, down on the coast. Scotts Valley sits about 12 miles north, up in the hills, and the trip usually runs twenty to twenty-five minutes by way of Highway 17. It’s a bit farther than our coastside towns, but it’s still a regular part of our territory, and you’re getting a local Central Coast crew rather than a company driving over the hill from San Jose.
When you call, we can set up a free estimate, hold the window we promise, and get up the mountain quickly when a storm brings a tree down overnight. We know the roads, so the drive is never the thing that slows us down.
Scotts Valley is the one town we serve that’s fully up in the Santa Cruz Mountains. It sits in an upland valley ringed by coast redwood forest, between Santa Cruz below and the ridgeline above, right next to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Logging was one of its first industries, and the redwoods and Douglas firs grew back thick around the town.
When Scotts Valley incorporated as a city in 1966, it filled in as a forested suburb. Homes went onto wooded lots carved into the hillsides, and the builders left the big trees standing. Decades later, those redwoods and firs tower over roofs, driveways, and the power lines that wind through the neighborhoods.
The setting has a few surprises, too. Scotts Valley holds part of the rare Santa Cruz Sandhills, an ancient seabed of sandy soil where ponderosa pines grow at an elevation you’d almost never find them anywhere else in California. It’s a reminder that the trees here don’t all follow the same rules.
Life in the forest is the whole appeal, and it’s also where the work comes from. Up at this elevation, summers run warmer and drier than they do on the coast, which stresses trees and can leave them more open to pests and decay. Winters bring the opposite problem: heavy rain and strong wind funneling through the mountains.
Tall redwoods and firs catch that wind far overhead, and their roots run shallow and wide, so saturated winter soil on a slope can loosen a grip that held all summer. The storms of early 2023 dropped trees and cut power across these mountains, and a rare tornado even touched down in Scotts Valley in late 2024. A big tree that starts leaning over a house is worth a professional look before the next system, not after.
Older trees also reach decision points. Cabling or structural pruning can save one worth keeping, while a failing tree over a roof may be past that. Coast live oaks across the county also face Sudden Oak Death. An ISA-certified arborist can tell the trees worth preserving from the ones that have turned into a hazard.
Scotts Valley is a bit of a climb from our home base, but we’re up there often enough to know it well, from the wooded neighborhoods to the way weather moves through the mountains. When we finish a job here, our name is on it in a close community where reputation carries, and that keeps our work honest.
Scotts Valley has plenty of tree-care companies, but they’re not all created equal. Some rush through jobs for quick cash instead of giving your trees the thoughtful, attentive care they truly need. When that happens, your trees don’t just miss out — they can end up damaged. What you really need is a reliable, high-quality tree-care team led by an ISA-certified arborist, someone who treats every tree with genuine, individualized attention. That’s exactly what you get with Adney Tree Service.
Unlike many tree companies that mainly focus on removals, Adney Tree Service is a full-service team offering every tree-care solution you might need. Whether you’re planting new saplings or handling trees that have reached the end of their lifespan, we take care of the entire process from start to finish. Below are some of the most popular services we provide to clients across the Central Coast.
Planting new trees is always exciting, but if you want them to take root and truly thrive, they need to be installed by arboricultural professionals — like the team at Adney Tree Service. We understand how different species grow, what they require, and the science that goes into proper tree installation.
Trees can live for decades — even centuries — but eventually every tree reaches a stage where it becomes unsafe or needs to be removed. When that time comes, our tree-removal experts can handle the job safely and efficiently while keeping your property protected.
Adney Tree Service is led by an ISA-certified arborist, putting us in a completely different league from the typical “guy with a chainsaw” operations. That level of expertise allows us to provide dependable guidance, thorough assessments, and precise diagnostic services to keep your trees healthy and thriving.
Whether you need a group of small trees trimmed to clear a sidewalk or you’re dealing with a large eucalyptus that requires structural pruning to remain safe, we’ve got you covered. With the right tools, equipment, and expertise, our tree-care professionals will trim or prune your trees with precision and care.
Cabling and bracing are specialized techniques arborists use to support weak branch unions, enhance safety, and preserve trees that might otherwise need to be removed. These aren’t services you’ll typically find with a basic tree company — they require an arborist-led team like Adney Tree Service.
Wildfires remain a real concern in Scotts Valley, CA, but maintaining clear, defensible space around your structures can make a significant difference in protecting your home and property. Adney Tree Service can help you establish and maintain that buffer so you’re better prepared for fire season.
Most folks notice when their trees shoot up in height, but plenty of species also spread outward as they mature — and that sideways growth can get in the way or make maintenance harder. Our tree-trimming professionals can handle that quickly and efficiently, giving your trees the clearance they need.
Harsh weather has a knack for taking trees down at the most inconvenient times — late at night, on weekends, or right when you’re least prepared. Fortunately, when you call Adney Tree Service, timing isn’t a problem. We offer emergency tree service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
It’s important to take action at the first sign of trouble to give your trees the best chance of thriving. But unfortunately, homeowners and commercial property managers are often unfamiliar with the clues that indicate trouble is brewing. If you notice any of the following signs or symptoms, contact the professionals at Adney Tree Service immediately to arrange for an on-site assessment.
Cracked trunks or branches are a serious red flag because they show the tree is already starting to fail. That said, a crack doesn’t always mean the entire tree needs to come down. In many cases, we can stabilize the tree with cabling or bracing to keep it supported and safe.
Large hollows or cavities may give a tree a bit of charm, but they’re often signs of significant decay and a weakened structure. To know whether the tree is still stable or needs some type of mitigation, you’ll need a certified arborist to take a closer look.
Mushrooms or conks growing on a tree’s trunk, branches, or roots are clear indicators of fungal activity and internal decay. Unfortunately, this type of problem is rarely treatable, so it’s important to have a certified arborist evaluate the tree and determine whether removal is necessary.
If you notice the soil around a tree’s trunk lifting or rising above grade, it’s a sign that the roots — or the soil supporting them — are failing. This creates an immediate safety hazard. Clear the area right away and contact an arborist for an urgent assessment.
Some trees naturally lean or grow at an angle, especially when they’re reaching toward sunlight. But if a tree suddenly starts leaning more than before, that shift often indicates significant instability — and in many cases, removal is the safest option.
Trees naturally shed branches on occasion, but when a tree drops large branches — or starts losing many branches in a short amount of time — it can signal issues like pests, disease, or internal decay. Trees showing these symptoms are often hazardous and should be inspected right away by a certified arborist.
Dead or dying branches in a tree’s canopy can point to several problems — disease, insect activity, or even poor airflow. It doesn’t always mean the tree is in serious danger, but the only way to know for certain is to have a certified arborist examine it.
Most trees can handle small insect issues, but once pest activity becomes noticeable, the tree may already be at risk. If you spot insects, boreholes, frass, or any other signs of an infestation, get in touch with the professionals at Adney Tree Service right away.
Many foliar tree diseases are relatively mild and don’t typically threaten a tree’s long-term health. Still, there are exceptions — and even the mild ones can cause problems if they return year after year. That’s why it’s wise to have an arborist take a look whenever you notice recurring leaf issues.
Trees are incredibly resilient. They’ve evolved to thrive in natural environments and withstand everything from severe storms to pests to everyday stress. Some species have even adapted to recurring wildfires, developing thick bark and cones that only open when exposed to high heat.
But today’s Central Coast is very different from the habitats these trees originally adapted to. The soil is often compacted and missing key nutrients. Non-native turf grasses compete with trees for moisture. Air and water pollution expose them to toxins they were never meant to endure. Because of this, trees need a bit of extra support to stay healthy in our modern landscape.
That’s where Adney Tree Service comes in. We understand these challenges and know how to give your trees the care they need. Whether you’re selecting new trees for a busy commercial property or need proper pruning for a residential lot, we offer the services that help your trees truly thrive.
Every property, job, and tree is unique, so we devise a custom tree-service plan for every client we help. However, we’ve developed a relatively consistent process over the years that helps ensure we provide the kind of service you deserve.
Contact us today to see the Adney Tree Service process in action!
We know you have plenty of options when it comes to tree service on the Central Coast. That’s why we work hard to stand out and become the go-to choice for both homeowners and property managers.
Here are a few things that set us apart:
Our team is led by an ISA-certified arborist, giving us the training, skill, and expertise needed to deliver true artisan-level tree care.
We understand Scotts Valley’s native tree species inside and out, along with the ornamental and exotic varieties you’ll find throughout the Central Coast.
We’ve spent more than a decade building a solid track record of successful projects, supported by a long list of positive ratings and reviews from past clients.
We’re a full-service tree care team that handles everything you need, so you won’t have to coordinate with multiple companies.
We’re licensed by the State of California and fully insured, so you can feel confident knowing you’re working with true professionals — and that you’re fully protected.
Adney Tree Service has been proudly serving California’s Central Coast for more than a decade. Whether you’re in Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, or anywhere in between, we make it simple to get the artisan-level tree care you need.
Still have questions about the tree services we offer? We’ve rounded up some of the most common questions our clients have and answered them below.
The tallest trees on Earth often host a beetle about the size of a grain of rice within their bark. Known as the redwood bark
A tree can be gone for years while the fungus that killed it is still alive underground. Armillaria is a great example. This potentially lethal
Invasive shothole borers are no longer just a Southern California problem. In September 2025, officials confirmed the beetles in two trees in the Tannery area
Feel free to leave your contact information on our online form. A consultation is always free, and it’s the first step towards finding a tree care solution!
