Warmer weather brings pine beetles
Here’s how to spot them
As the weather warms up, pine beetles become a problem. Although all pine trees are susceptible to an attack, those that are injured, stressed or dying are the most likely to fall prey.
The beetles themselves can be hard to spot because they are so small. In the photo, the southern pine beetle (on the left) and a black turpentine beetle (on the right) are compared to a grain of rice (middle) in someone’s palm. Photo from the Southern Forest Insect Work Conference Archives
Photo by Jiri Hulcr, University of Florida
If a tree is infested there are some telltale signs: it will have white to reddish, brown pitch tubes on bark plates (about the size of a wad of gum), or, if the tree is of low vigor, there won’t be pitch tubes but reddish boring dust in the bark’s crevices at the base. Brown needles on some stems or an entire brown crown are other signs of a beetle infestation.
If your trees are turning brown take immediate action and get them assessed as soon as possible.
