Dead Pine

[leftyclick]

My mother-in-law has had three pine tree's die over the past few years, and I'm not sure what is killing them. I still have a lot to learn in this area, so I'm not sure they are pines, they may be spruces. Anyway, the first two were cut by someone else, but I did the last one. I noticed that the outer growth rings are quite dark and now that I have some of the wood stacked, I hear a chewing noise. Could his be pine beetles? These trees are in a line along the roadside, and my mother-in-law believes that when the water company put in new pipes a few years back, that they damaged the root systems enough to kill them. Like I said before, I have very little experience with trees, but I want to learn. Any ideas?

 

[A. Stanton]

Around here, we had some type of bark beetle kill pines around the area reservoirs.

 

[Urban Forester]

Due to the color of the picture it's hard to tell, but that cross cut looks like it has blue stain fungus, which is a tell tale sign of pine wood nematode which in turn is the cause of pine wilt. I wasn't aware that there was activity in Alabama though. Pine Wilt is a devastating vascular disease of non-native pines. I've seen trees die in 3 weeks. The nematodes are carried to the tree in the thorax of sawyer beetles as the adult beetle feeds on stem tissue the nematodes are deposited into the vascular system of the tree. They multiply like rabbits, blocking the flow of water through the tree, death is certain. I would have an arborist look at it to be sure. If that's what it is , remove all browning pines as it's too late to save them. Yes the sound you here could be sawyer beetles feeding in the cut wood. Those beetles will be infected w/nematodes when they emerge, cover that wood w/a tarp to super heat it and kill the beetles or chip it up ASAP. They won't go far looking for a "new" tree.

 

[S Mc]

Diagnostic test to determine nematodes:

Take a small block of wood from near the trunk of the infected tree and soak it overnight (or at least for 1 hr) in water. Observe water under a 10 power scope or hand lense. You should be able to see the nematodes swimming in the water.

Sylvia

 

[tomtrees58]

Its Looks Like White Pine# ??

 

[BayouTree]

Blue stain fungus is also carried by southern pine beetle. The beetles will leave the tree once it is dead though.

 

[leftyclick]

Thanks for the replies! I do believe it is Pine Wilt. I did some research and it seems to fit perfectly. As soon as this tropical depression moves out, I going to burn what's left of the tree. I also now believe that it is a Scotch Pine. Thanks again!