I posted this on Identification and I was sent here! Please , I need help! My huge Pine trees are slowly , one by one, dying out! We thought at first it was the drought,or even lightnening but now we have noticed that 3 have died and more are doing the same! I heard Scratching the other day and Im wondering if it Pine beetles!
The pine beetles could be brought on by the drought. They like to attack stressed trees first. There are lots of dead loblolly pines around here. If yours are dead for sure, I strongly recommend replacing them with longleaf pine, they are much more drought tolerant.
Since I posted on this thread last time, the problem here has gotten much worse. There are groves of dead pines everywhere. I found a couple on my property and I heard the same scratching sound coming from under the bark. I think it was brought on by the drought. We have gotten plenty of rain in the last week and our drought has just about ended but I think it's just too late for a lot of trees. It remains to be seen if the pine beetle problem will stop or get worse.
Light them all on fire if you can. Won't hurt them and you look like you have a pine beetle problem. The beetles go from tree to tree so if you know for sure their pine beetles you need to get right on that. Call your extension office.
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From what I have learned the pine beetles build populations in some years and then in other years natural predators keep them in control. By this time of the year they have already done their damage. They are not active in cooler weather. Loblolly pine (pinus taeda) is most susceptible. Pine beetles don't usually don't cause much damage to longleaf pine (pinus palustris) or slash pine (pinus elliottii).
I, am so sorry to hear of the pines,and it is the southern pine beetle,I know from experiance,and there is not much you can do,unless the piliated woodpeckers make their attack on the problem,and detre the movement.You will notice that the beetle attacks weak trees,and move like a fire would,in a certin direction.The trees were made weak,by the drought,we have had all summer.Please don't let "tree people scame you with taking them out real soon,because that can make matters worse.I left all of mine stand,and they are back out of the danger zone of hitting anything,if they fall,and the woodpeckers inhabbit them,and I haven't had the problem in several years, of coarse I don't have the large pines I use to have,but things are getting better all the time,and I profited from some beautiful humas.Hope all works out.Mike
Mike, Most of us in this area are having the same problem. I really do believe the drought brought on our problem. It most likely is pine beetles, but in our area, I think part of our problem is the residual effect of Hurricane Ivan. We really took a hit from that storm, and now followed by the drought this year, I think I lost some trees because of the weakening of the root systems from Ivan. Our city hortuculturalist and certified arborist believes we are seeing tree deaths from the results of that storm. I have lost Virginia pines and 17 - 19 year old young oaks. Just a thought.
peony01,no doubt that a weakened tree(pine),will be the subject of either black turpentine beetle(lower part of the trunk),or So.pine beetle (whole tree),or epps beetle (limbs,and top).These creatures attact the tree after a lightning strike,or any thing that causes the tree to stress,and ooze sap,and its their alarm.they will usually attack the tree, and kill in a swat,going in a certin direction,and some times stop , for no aparent reason.I have been told they swarm,and I'm not sure of that either.I do know that we, living in the south,are subject to their distruction,and there is nothing we can do about it.Mike
Eufaula, sorry you are losing your Pines. About four years ago the beetles started showing up here and we've lost three trees :( We planted the Pines 10 years ago on the borders of the property for privacy and it's devastating to lose even one! On a positive note, it opens a spot for us to plant something else in its place and provides a nice view of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
