Thread: Pitch Mass Borer?

Are these often worse in Spruces than in pines? I have seen a bunch in the Pinus strobus in the area, but it seems that they are affecting the Picea more.

I see them more in Austrian and Red pine. Sometimes in white pine, but thats mostly bark beetles(type of ambrosia). Found some nice flat head cerimbicides in an oak the other day probably twin lined chestnut borer,

Yes, much more prevelant in spruces. The upside is there is only one larvae per mass. If the mass is removed you can catch the larvae inside the mass, since they (unlike Zimmerman) pupate in hibernaculums inside the mass. By removing, the sap loss will slow and the wounding will cease. Chemical control has a low % of effectiveness. In michigan most of the masses we've seen in pines are a result of Zimmerman Pine Moth.

Has anyone heard about these carrying a fungal or bacterial disease. I have pulled some rather large ones off some trees recently that have diplodia as well, and it was a dry season. I will regain control of the matter just looking for other thoughts about this, I heard about a correlation today. I have not looked into it but it could definitely be related.

Nope... no way Diplodia, it's not vascular it overwinters in pine cones and moves into new candles as they break, it doesn't move through the conductive tissue, only new growth candles. I've never heard of pitch mass moving vascular diease... now sawyer beetle and pinewood nematode aka pine wilt...that's a different story