Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

micky wrote:

Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

Yes.

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

Did the tree get enough water this summer?

Are the branches heavily shaded?

What sort of pine are we talking about? Austrian? Jack?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around
the trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and
into the wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental
probe, but I don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

Have a look he

http://www.avtreefarm.com/insects/barkbeetles.htm

It's ok, and even a good thing in your case to remove the dead
branches. Just remember to cut them off about an inch from the trunk -
not flush with the trunk.

Are these made by some parasite?

Probably a bark beetle.

Any branches you cut should be completely removed from your property -
unless you can completely burn then or grind them up.

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Have you been watering it?

Maybe give it some fertilizer.

Read that link I gave you. Set some jars of white vinegar out and see
if it attracts (and kills) any beetles.

On 9/18/2011 9:03 PM, micky wrote:
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.


Look for "bark beetle" or "wood boring beetle" on the internet. If it is
bark beetles YES it can kill your tree. In any case ask around for an
arborist. If you have a neighborhood association they may be able to
recommend one.

Bark beetles have devastated entire forests. Recently huge areas of
Yellowstone's forest were wiped out by bark beetles.

http://cache.virtualtourist.com/4/49...ional_Park.jpg

micky wrote the following:
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

Here in NY, we had a very bad winter. Deep snow covered the ground most
of the winter. The deer were eating everything that was green, including
spruces and fir trees, Yucca plants, Hostas, and Rhododendrons. This
spring, the plants recovered, but every evergreen tree branch from the
ground up to about 5' was eaten bare. Those branches have not recovered.
I have a line of spruces between my property and my neighbor's.
This is the first year that I could see my neighbor's lawn since I moved
here in 1984.
I don't know if your holes are related to the death of your tree limbs
or this is just the first time they have been uncovered.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Don't know where you are located, but I can sympathize with you. I also have
a pine tree roughly the same height. This tree is probably 23 years old and
WAS a beautiful tree until about 2 months ago. Since that time, it has
progressed to total death. (If you would like a picture of this
heartbreaker, the address is valid). It has your same series of similar
holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. Surrounding neighbors have Live Oak, Crepe
Myrtle. Maple. Cottonwood and have no damage at all. Have a Tree Removal
Company coming in this week to cut it down. If anything is found, will post
here.

BTW: I live in Plano Tx. Where , approximately are you??

Bill


"micky" wrote in message
...
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

Many Thanks to "Home Guy" for the information on the Bark Beetle. Sure
sounds like what I have encountered! Will check out the tree tomorrow for
the symptoms listed. Won't help now since the tree is dead, but may answer
my question!


Bill


Bill Hall" wrote in message
...
Don't know where you are located, but I can sympathize with you. I also
have a pine tree roughly the same height. This tree is probably 23 years
old and WAS a beautiful tree until about 2 months ago. Since that time, it
has progressed to total death. (If you would like a picture of this
heartbreaker, the address is valid). It has your same series of similar
holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. Surrounding neighbors have Live Oak, Crepe
Myrtle. Maple. Cottonwood and have no damage at all. Have a Tree Removal
Company coming in this week to cut it down. If anything is found, will
post here.

BTW: I live in Plano Tx. Where , approximately are you??

Bill


"micky" wrote in message
...
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

On Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:08:05 -0500, "Bill Hall"
wrote:

Don't know where you are located, but I can sympathize with you. I also have
a pine tree roughly the same height. This tree is probably 23 years old and

Mine is about 32 years. I don't know what kind of pine it is.

WAS a beautiful tree until about 2 months ago. Since that time, it has
progressed to total death. (If you would like a picture of this

Wow. My condolences. t.

heartbreaker, the address is valid). It has your same series of similar

If you've taken them already, yes, I'd appreciate. Just remove
NONONO from the start of my from-addresss.

holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. Surrounding neighbors have Live Oak, Crepe
Myrtle. Maple. Cottonwood and have no damage at all. Have a Tree Removal
Company coming in this week to cut it down. If anything is found, will post
here.

BTW: I live in Plano Tx. Where , approximately are you??

I'm in NW suburban Baltimore. (NW is a little higher and colder than
SE. When I worked SE, which is near the water, I could see the amount
of snow on the ground decrease as I got there.)

But until a couple years ago my brother lived in Plano. Been there I
guess 3 times for a total of 2 weeks or more. (Been to Dallas other
times, when he didn't live in Plano. I had never head of it before
he moved there. I don't remember any landmarks. A mall but I forget
the name. The biggest church in the country?, but he wasn't a member
of it.

Bill

My web browser has been frozen for the last 30 minuites, so I haven't
looked at the webpages yet, but thank you all.


"micky" wrote in message
.. .
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole.

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

Is it serious? Will it kill the tree? Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

Bill Hall wrote the following:
Don't know where you are located, but I can sympathize with you. I also
have a pine tree roughly the same height. This tree is probably 23 years
old and WAS a beautiful tree until about 2 months ago. Since that time,
it has progressed to total death. (If you would like a picture of this
heartbreaker, the address is valid). It has your same series of similar
holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. Surrounding neighbors have Live Oak,
Crepe Myrtle. Maple. Cottonwood and have no damage at all. Have a Tree
Removal Company coming in this week to cut it down. If anything is
found, will post here.

BTW: I live in Plano Tx. Where , approximately are you??

Bill

I'n not the OP. Just sayin' Hi
My brother lives in Frisco, TX. He used to live in Denton. He works for
GE, installing reverse osmosis systems for hospital dialysis machines
throughout the US. His wife works for Frito Lay in Plano.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

"micky" wrote in message
...

Mine is about 32 years. I don't know what kind of pine it is.
. . .
holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. . . .

The arborist ought to have been able to tell you whether the
holes indicate bird damage or parasite infestation (insects.)

I'm in NW suburban Baltimore.

You need to identify both the tree and the cause of the
damage. Many municipalities have programs to support
urban trees and maintain safety. Some state agricultural
extension departments or college forestry departments
willl help (free) to diagnose and cure your problem.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

Bill Hall wrote:

Many Thanks to "Home Guy" for the information on the Bark Beetle.
Sure sounds like what I have encountered! Will check out the tree
tomorrow for the symptoms listed. Won't help now since the tree is
dead, but may answer my question!

For those of you that don't know what kind of pine you have, this might
help:

http://www.treehelp.com/trees/pine/pine-types.asp

You might have a spruce tree, not pine:

http://www.treehelp.com/trees/spruce/spruce-types.asp
http://www.tree-pictures.com/spruce_tree_pictures.html

For those of you in Texas - I don't have to tell you that you've been
having a serious drout. Have you been watering your trees?

This product might help prevent future tree problems caused by bugs
(perhaps only crawling ones?)

http://www.envirometrics.ca/

I think the bottom line is that the bark beetle is attracted to trees
that are stressed potentially or perhaps most often because of a lack of
water.

Andy comments:

I am not familiar with regular pine trees with lower limbs. All
the ones I know look like ship masts, bare, with the green
stuff near the top...

Couly you be talking about Juniperus Virginianus, aka Eastern
Red Cedar ? (and many other local names)

If that is so, it is not unusual for the lower limbs to die as
the tree grows. In fact, I usually saw off the bottom 15 feet
or so completely to shape the tree and keep this from
happening...

I may be way off base, but I wanted to throw this in. A lot of
people call nearly every resinous tree "pine", and I don't
have a picture of yours...

Finally, when in doubt, take a pix to your local county agricultural
office. Those guys are tree geeks and probably know the answer...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

On Sep 18, 7:03*pm, micky wrote:
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. *Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. * I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole. *

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

*Is it serious? *Will it kill the tree? * *Please say no. :-)

Thanks.


Doesn't your municipality have an Arborist or similar title on staff?

HB

Hi Bill:

Very familiar with both places; Frisco mand Frito Lay. Live within 6 miles
of either one. From 1983 thru 1993,was City Manager in The Colony,contiguous
boundaries with Frisco. That was before Frisco was a real live City. Spent a
lot of time with some of the Government Folks and got to know it well.
Population was approximately 7900 at the time. With some good planning on
their part, they are now the fastest growing City in Texas ( population +/-
120,000). Great place to live!!

Bill
"willshak" wrote in message
m...
Bill Hall wrote the following:
Don't know where you are located, but I can sympathize with you. I also
have a pine tree roughly the same height. This tree is probably 23 years
old and WAS a beautiful tree until about 2 months ago. Since that time,
it has progressed to total death. (If you would like a picture of this
heartbreaker, the address is valid). It has your same series of similar
holes. although mine has in excess of 50-60 holes. I do have woodpeckers
around and have seen them pecking on the tree in the past. Never had a
problem till this year. Had an Arborist review the damage for possible
woodpecker damage to no avail. Surrounding neighbors have Live Oak, Crepe
Myrtle. Maple. Cottonwood and have no damage at all. Have a Tree Removal
Company coming in this week to cut it down. If anything is found, will
post here.

BTW: I live in Plano Tx. Where , approximately are you??

Bill

I'n not the OP. Just sayin' Hi
My brother lives in Frisco, TX. He used to live in Denton. He works for
GE, installing reverse osmosis systems for hospital dialysis machines
throughout the US. His wife works for Frito Lay in Plano.


--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Sep 18, 7:03*pm, micky wrote:
Are pine trees on topic if one needs repair?

I have a 30 or 40 foot pine tree.

All the limbs below 7 feet have died. *Is that normal?

This week, below 4 feet, I found about 20 holes spread out around the
trunk, about 1/4 to 5/16" in diameter, through the bark and into the
wood. * I need to go back with a flashlight and a dental probe, but I
don't think I'll find anything but the hole. *

I don't have woodpeckers around here, at least not that I can hear,
and I could hear them if they were pecking at this tree.

Are these made by some parasite?

*Is it serious? *Will it kill the tree? * *Please say no. :-)

Thanks.

It's about time they did something with the pine trees....instead of
them just standing around like JERKS!