A healthy, flourishing landscape requires significant work and patience, as homeowners must tend to their trees and vegetation while warding off harmful infestations. All property owners should learn what southern pine beetles are, how to identify them, and how to recognize an infestation on pine trees. If you spot such an infestation, hire a professional tree removal service to inspect your property and remove infested trees before the pests can spread.
Timber Works Tree Care has such services and more for Aldie, VA, landowners. Our licensed and insured tree specialist team offers free estimates, safety inspections, and consultations to ensure your yard is safe, healthy, and gorgeous. Although we do not offer pest control, we provide invasive species control and other preventative measures. Call (540) 254-5773 to learn more about our tree removal services.
Below, we discuss southern pine beetles, signs they are attacking your trees, and how to control them:
What Are Southern Pine Beetles?
Southern pine beetles, or dendroctonus frontalis, are native insects that develop in pine trees’ phloem and inner bark. Categorized as southern wood borers, their population surges in and around areas with overstocked pine stands. They are most active during Spring, attacking weakened and damaged pine trees and invading healthy trees nearby.
While attacks by southern pine beetles are less common than other infestations, landowners should learn the relevant facts to prevent an outbreak on their landscape. These pests are short-legged, stout, and about ⅛ inch long with notched heads and rounded bodies. Mature beetles are a dark reddish-brown color with slightly lighter wings.
Where Can You Find Southern Pine Beetles?
Although native to the southeastern United States, southern pine beetles first appeared in Long Island, NY, in 2014 and have continued expanding their range up the East Coast. Warmer winter temperatures are most likely the reason for this expansion.
When a local tree removal service inspects your pine trees, they will most likely check out the bark on the trunk first. Southern pine beetles enter the tree through crevices in the bark and create S-shaped tunnels in the cambium tissue just beneath the bark. This burrowing disrupts the flow of nutrients and can kill a tree in 2-4 months.
Signs of Southern Pine Beetles
As a homeowner with pine trees, you should be aware of the signs of southern pine beetle habitation to ensure your trees remain safe and healthy:
- Pitch tubes: Popcorn-shaped clumps of resin on the entire exterior of the bark
- Holes: Tiny, scattered, and on the bark’s exterior
- Tunnels: As previously mentioned, southern pine beetles make S-shaped tunnels under the bark as they attack the tree’s nutrients
- A dead tree: If your pine tree has reddish-brown needles, it is probably dead and might be suffering from southern pine beetles
If your tree was attacked by southern pine beetles, hire an emergency tree removal service to protect your surrounding landscape.
How to Mitigate Damage from Southern Pine Beetles
Homeowners without the proper tools or knowledge will struggle to combat southern pine beetles. Schedule frequent inspections from certified arborists to eliminate these pests before they can do much damage to your trees.
Southern pine beetles thrive on weak or dying plants, so take care of your landscape and remove infested trees when necessary. Moreover, chat with your local arborist about the correct pesticides to fight southern pine beetles and other preventative measures you can take.
A Reliable Tree Removal Service in Aldie, VA
Pest infestations are no joke for landowners: dying trees, expensive services, and stressful preventative measures become all-consuming. Yet Timber Works Tree Care’s team will provide reliable and affordable tree removal services for Aldie, VA, homeowners. Our professional arborists can discuss tree removal costs, the signs of these pests, and more. For a free project estimate, call (540) 254-5773.
