07/26/2025
Have you checked your oak trees recently? Now is a great time to look for signs of oak wilt, a non-native fungus. Oak wilt affects both red and white oaks, but symptoms are more noticeable in red oaks, which can die in as little as six weeks after infection.
Signs of oak wilt are most obvious in July and August. Infected red oaks will drop more than half of their leaves, and leaves may begin to turn brown from the outside edge moving inward. While it is normal for oaks to change color and drop their leaves in fall, when observed during summer, these could be signs of oak wilt.
Be on the lookout for oak wilt throughout New York State! Pay careful attention to oaks in Niagara County, NY, as oak wilt was found over the border in the Canadian municipalities of Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake, and Springwater in June 2023. DEC is increasing monitoring for oak wilt in western Niagara County through aerial surveys, ground surveys, and trapping nitidulid beetles, which spread the disease.
If you see signs of oak wilt anywhere in New York, make a report! Send photos and location information to DEC at [email protected].
