beatles killed neighbor's pine

[LightningLoader]

One of my neighbors 2 doors down has a pine tree that was killed by those borer beatles. The pine tree in my yard isn't looking so good either. How do I know if it has the beatles? If so, is there anything that I can do?

Also, there are quite a few people in the neighborhood who just cut the tops off their dead trees instead of having them removed. Do dead trees also harbour these beatles, or any other parasites/pests that may be contagious to nearby trees? Do dead trees in the yard up the risk of getting termites in the house?

 

[BayouTree]

Bark Beetles

Look for white or pinkish pitch tubes where the tree is producing resin to try to push the beetles out. Also look for frass/sawdust on the bark and at the base of the tree, and tiny entry holes.

I don't know your location, so I can't say what type of beetle might have killed your neighbors tree, but most of these types of beetles are opportunistic and move in after a tree has been stressed and leave once the tree is dead.

Sounds crazy to cut part of a dead tree and leave the rest standing in your yard. Why not just remove the whole thing? More of a hazard to people and property than harboring insects I think.

 

[LightningLoader]

there are little holes in the bark of my tree, but not sure if they're from beetles. I'll go look around it this afternoon and take some pictures.

I do think my tree is at risk. It never seemed to recover fully from the stress of the hurricanes.

As for them not cutting down the whole tree, all I can figure is that they've deluded themselves into thinking that birds are going to live there or something. Many of my neighbors are confused conservationists. They think weeds are butterfly gardens and dead trees are squirrel houses...I think they forget that they live in a neighborhood where other people have to look at their dead overgrown crap.

 

[LightningLoader]

picture

 

[treeseer]

That did not look like pine beetle damage. If you have a shortleaf pine, P. echinata, it has little holes that are natural.

Your conservationist neighbors may not be the ones who are confused. What are the covenants like in your neighborhood?

As for dead trunks standing, I do that for several clients. No "contagious" pests visit after Dendroctonus. Many beneficials do.

O and the beatles ceased to exist a long time ago, though Paul and Ringo still get out now and then.

 

[LightningLoader]

That did not look like pine beetle damage. If you have a shortleaf pine, P. echinata, it has little holes that are natural.

Your conservationist neighbors may not be the ones who are confused. What are the covenants like in your neighborhood?

As for dead trunks standing, I do that for several clients. No "contagious" pests visit after Dendroctonus. Many beneficials do.

O and the beatles ceased to exist a long time ago, though Paul and Ringo still get out now and then.

Well, I know it's not a longleaf pine, or a sand pine, but not sure if it's a shortleaf. It's just one of the really common pines that they grow down here for timber. I sure hope you're right though and it's the kind that's supposed to have holes. Really like my tree. It's kinda ugly but it's about all I have left after the hurricanes.

I wasn't saying that all conservationists were confused by the way, I was just saying that them focusing on the dead tree in the middle of their yard isn't really helping or conserving anything (some bugs might live there but that's it). Feel like if they were truly in the spirit they'd plant new trees that would thrive and maybe make something out of the dead ones...not just leave them lay or cut the tops off.

I don't know what a covenant is?

I do feel a little better though that there aren't a bunch of pests breeding in the dead trees. Thx.

 

[treeseer]

Feel like if they were truly in the spirit they'd plant new trees that would thrive
I don't know what a covenant is?

Yeah planting is best; I agree with you there.

A covenant is a set of rules that goes with the property. I live in the country but still have a covenant--ca't raise pigs or chickens, etc.

 

[bushinspector]

What if you do have holes all the way around the tree and it does appear to have sap coming out the small holes. What can be done about it? The tree looks good (at least for now)

 

[treeseer]

Sometimes the "pores" in shortleafs seem to be oozing sap, but this si not a problem. Post a picture?

 

[bushinspector]

The size of the holes looks like the above pics. However all my holes are going around the tree at regular intervals. It looks like someone got a drill and drilled holes almost all around the tree.

 

[BayouTree]

The holes in the above pic look too large to be beetle holes.

The size of the holes looks like the above pics. However all my holes are going around the tree at regular intervals. It looks like someone got a drill and drilled holes almost all around the tree.

This description sounds like sapsucker damage (that is a small woodpecker). It is usually superficial. Does your tree look like it's declining?

 

[bushinspector]

No the trees look excellent at this time. I have notice around the town that some large pines are dying. I was concerned since the holes was all in line and almost all the way around the tree in the same area.

 

[Dixie1]

mostly superficial yes, but repeat visits from the sapsucker can create a "weak" point on the trunk if damage is severe. not much you can do in regards to prevention.

 

[treeseer]

mostly superficial yes, but repeat visits from the sapsucker can create a "weak" point on the trunk if damage is severe. not much you can do in regards to prevention.

This is a major derailing, but sapsuckers can be deterred by feeding them suet cakes elsewhere, wrapping the attack spots with burlap, etc. Not 100% but on high value trees it is worth a try to change their behavior.

 

[underwor]

The real story is that the beetles merely search for trees that are stressed near their limit to lay their eggs in, so something else has killed the tree, the beetles are just the only ones around when we notice it. The stress can be from construction, drought, flood, storm damage, overcrowding, you name it. Sell good plant health care, including watering advice and you prevent beetles.

Am I on course Guy or full of it?

 

[treeseer]

That's what I hear too, Bob, and I've no reason to doubt that overstressed (strained) trees fall prey first while healthy ones have the resources to resist.

btw you would not believe how hard it is to get the concept of "strain" accepted, even though Shigo beat that drum loudly 20-30 years ago. "Stress" is a fact of life, it makes good growth happen as organisms react to it. then how can stress be defined primarily as a negative thing?