though a tree... its a conifer ... but that doesnt matter here..

fungus Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii is a possibility .....

hit the link ..

ken

PS: not quite sure about the quality of the diagnosis at the bigboxstore .... you might want to contact your county Ag office.. or soil conservation district..

pps: did the tree service also diagnose the problem.. or just offer to take it down????

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I would echo Ken's issue about the benefit of getting pest diagnosis and advice from some place like a boxstore. Take a sample of a heavily affected shoot or branch in late fall to your county extension office and have the problem correctly ID'd. They will also be able to suggest the best recommendations for treatment.

Having said that, spruce aphids are a pretty common problem and certainly can cause the symptoms you describe. Treating them successfully depends on timing, which is why I suggest taking a sample in late fall. They are most active in the fall and winter and in the summer, when most of us notice the problem, the damage has aready been done and spraying then is ineffective. FWIW, if the trees are large, commercial spraying services may be the most efficient method of attacking the problem. You may just have to bite the bullet, depending on how much you value these trees and how severe the damage is.