Eastern white trees are a variety of pine that features light colored bark that starts out smooth in young trees but furrows deeply over time. The evergreen needles intersperse with beautiful yellow "flowers" that are the tree's cones. An eastern white pine tree is a valued addition to any property or yard but like any other planting requires some upkeep to keep the tree looking beautiful for years to come.
Maintain the eastern white pine's beauty by monitoring for signs and symptoms of an insect infestation. Catching the problem early and calling in a pest control or tree services company can help minimize the risk of damage.
What insects target the eastern white pine -- and how can you prevent damage?
White Pine Weevil
The adult white pine weevil is a small, beetle-shaped insect with a reddish-brown body that has a white spot near the head. Adult weevils aren't the problem; the larvae that hatch within the pine's bark eat through the tree and cause damage.
The initial larval feeding will create noticeable sappy droplets on the pine's bark during the start of the growing season. Progressing feeding can cause general dieback starting near the crown of the tree. Needles will yellow or brown and fall from the tree.
Call a tree care or pest service as soon as you start to see weevil infestation symptoms.
The tree services company can potentially use an insecticide but, more commonly, will let the relatively short lifespan of the weevil play out and then clean up the mess. Adults that have not yet laid larvae might be able to be removed manually before any dieback occurs.
Pine Bark Adelgid
Pine bark adelgids are small but tend to come in large populations. You might be able to see clumps of light-colored growths starting to form on the tree that is groups of the adelgids, often a few different generations, congregating in the same area of the tree. The clumps of insects can somewhat resemble both the color and texture of tufts of cotton.
Adelgids feed on the tree and weaken its overall health, which in turn leaves the tree more vulnerable to other infestations and tree diseases. If you start to see symptoms of the adelgids, call in a tree care service immediately to treat the problem with chemical controls.
If you see any signs of dieback on your tree, you should call a tree service (such as Tri-Point Tree & Landscaping) or pest company for testing. Some tree diseases can mimic the signs of insect damage, and the treatment will depend on diagnosing the cause.
Share8 July 2016
I love and appreciate all of the trees around my home, but I do worry about what will happen during a strong storm. Will I get rudely awakened by by a tree crashing through the roof into my bedroom? Will a tree fall and take down the power lines that my family relies on each day to live our comfortable life? This blog will show you what you need to know before you go cutting down all of the trees on your property to maintain a safe living space and advice for picking and choosing the trees that will remain.