Living Beside the Morton Arboretum
The Morton Arboretum, a 1,700 acre outdoor museum of trees, shrubs and vines founded in 1922, sits just north of the village and draws hundreds of thousands of visitors a year. Lisle itself was settled in 1832, close to the East Branch of the DuPage River, and became a village in 1956. About 24,000 people live here today.
Mature trees, wooded lots and green space run through the village, and a home with a large oak or maple beside it is very common. That is good for shade, but it gives carpenter ants a place to nest, gives ticks and mosquitoes shelter, and feeds the insects that crowd your walls in fall.
What the Trees Bring
Carpenter ants. These ants nest in dead trees, stumps, wet wood and damaged wood, then send workers into nearby homes. If you see large black ants after dark, or sawdust piles near window frames and trim, a nest may be close. See Carpenter Ant Control.
Ticks and mosquitoes. Leaf litter, shady ground cover and wooded edges are where ticks wait. Shade and damp ground also help mosquitoes rest and breed.
Fall invaders. Boxelder bugs feed on the seeds of boxelder, maple and ash trees, and both boxelder bugs and stink bugs gather on sunny walls in fall. Asian lady beetles do the same. All three can end up inside your home over winter.
Wood damage. Bare, weathered wood on decks, eaves and porch trim attracts carpenter bees, and any wood that stays damp can attract termites.