One city department in Colorado Springs wants residents to watch out for signs of an invasion.
The invaders are after trees, specifically the American elm. To save healthy trees, sick ones have to be removed, in some cases, at the homeowners' expense.

A painted "X" on a tall American elm along a well traveled Colorado Springs street may as well be the trees' death sentence.

Its withered leaves are a sign it's under attack, by not one, but a whole army of invaders that are only a fraction of the size of a dime.

The elm bark beetle is currently doing its deadly work.

"[Elm trees with] the big leaves get Dutch elm disease," said City forester Darrel Pearson.

Pearson is on the lookout for evidence of the insect's presence. The beetles dig in and choke out the flow of water to American elms: a city favorite.

"They're just stately, majestic trees," said Pearson.

In recent years beetle kill has reduced the Colorado Springs American elm population to 5,000 trees.

Pearson is asking for more eyes to protect them.

"If you're barbecuing and you see your tree wilting, or half your tree is wilted, you've got a problem," said Pearson.

The beetles only go after American elms and seem to leave Siberian elms alone. The easiest way to tell the difference is leaf size. American elm leaves are much bigger, about the size of an open palm.

So far, this year, four sick trees have been removed, and the battle continues for the rest of the survivors.

The Colorado Springs Forestry Division will come to your home and inspect trees that may have Dutch elm disease.

Call 385-5942 to arrange an appointment.

If you have an infested tree, removing it is your responsibility, which could cost hundreds of dollars.

If you have American elms, you can help slow the spread of beetles by pruning your trees and getting rid of dead branches between the months of October and April.