The bark beetle is one of the most destructive coniferous tree insects in North America and Europe. It has been so devastating to our coniferous trees, that experts are saying that the tree mortality that we are witnessing is historically unprecedented. Bark beetles consist of more than 2,000 species that are usually less than 6mm long and brown or black in color. To the bark beetle, a tree is a yummy buffet, a home, and a nursery for their young. The beetles burrow into a tree to form chambers for their eggs. Once hatched, the larvae munch their way through the wood, forming a series of tunnels. At the end of the tunnel, each larva pupates and emerges as an adult beetle through a hole in the bark. As the bark beetle burrows and feeds on the inner bark, it interferes with the tree’s absorption of nutrients. Many species of bark beetle also deposit fungus on the wood to hinder the tree’s sap production, since sap is the tree’s natural defense system to push out the beetles. The fungus helps the beetles to live, however it can begin to spread into the wood, thus impeding on the water supply to the leaves. So gradually, the tree becomes malnourished and dehydrated. Some trees may die within weeks of infestation, while others may take years to fatally succumb to their invaders. How do you know if your tree is infested? Spotting a bark beetle infestation can be quite simple and easy to do without the help of a specialist. However, once an infestation has been detected, contact one of Certified Arborists for immediate action. The following are the top indicators that we look for when inspecting a tree for infestation. BROWNING FOLIAGE One of the first beetle infestation signs that a tree owner observes in their tree is a random limb or a section of the tree that appears dead with brown pine needles. It looks dead because it is dead. The tree has been ravaged in the inside and has been suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. RED BASE SAP Inspect the base of the tree for reddish collections of sap. These tend to be large (size of a quarter or larger) and are typically located within the bottom 3 feet of the trunk. If you spot these, your tree has a turpentine beetle infestation. LEAKING SAP If no reddish sap clusters were found at the base of your tree, wonderful — now inspect the rest of the trunk and limbs for oozing sap or dried sap clusters that resemble popcorn. If you spot more than a dozen, then unfortunately, your tree has very little chance of survival. On the other hand, spotting only a few holes could mean that the beetle infestation hasn’t yet reached the point of no return. Consult one of our Certified Arborist so immediate action can be taken. HOLES Holes that about the diameter of a pencil will be noticeable throughout a beetle-infested tree. Normally, these holes will have sap clusters covering them, as sap is the tree’s way of pushing the beetles out. However, if a tree has dry holes with no presence of sap, it is a dire sign that the tree has already pushed out all of its sap and dried out. If the tree has “bled out,” then it has no chance of survival.
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