Dying Scotch Pines

[wiederho4]

Please help! We have several varieties of mature (+20 years) pines on our
property, the majority are white pines but there are several other varieties.
All appear healthy with the exception of the few scotch pines. One has died
totally in just a year and others in its vicinity look in doubt. Have
noticed numerous holes in bark from ground to about 10-15 feet. We can hear
noise inside tree like insects are eating away from the inside out. What can
we do and can this effect the other pines? I say this is a Scotch pine
because that's what others call it, but I want to be sure I am identifying it
properly. The bark is very rough and the needles are sharp and quite firm as
compared to the softer varieties. It produces short, hard pine cones. Any
help you provide is greatly appreciated and we will do whatever necessary to
save our beautiful trees if it is not too late.

 

[Jay Banks]

Pines have their needles in groups of 2, 3, or 5. Scotch Pine is a 2 needle pine about 1-1/2 to 2-3/4 inches.

If you are hearing the pine beetles or weevils eating and you are sustaining heavy damage you may have to remove several trees to save the rest.

You will need to have the pest identified and a spray program targeted to that pest.

 

[swampwhiteoak]

I think the easiest way to identify scotch pine is by looking at the trunk near the top. If it is a bright orange, then it is scotch pine.

Scotch pine is grown a lot in Ohio for Christmas trees, but it doesn't "age" very well. They typically succumb to a variety of maladies later in life, typically because they are planted in inappropriate sites and also because scotch pine tends to get a wide variety of diseases and pests. Depending on what the pest is, you might be better off cutting out all your scotch pine and starting over.

Chances are the pest/pathogen won't affect white pines, but you should have it checked out to make sure.

Just my thoughts.

 

[treeclimber165]

You might be a bit too far north, but sounds like either Southern Pine Beetles or a close cousin. This thread is where I copied an article from the newspaper on the subject.
http://www.arboristsite.com/showthread.php?threadid=351

 

[swampwhiteoak]

Typically Ohio would be too far north for southern pine beetles. But we have had outbreaks this last year due to a couple of weak winters. Brown county was infected. I am not sure of SPB's preference/indifference toward scotch pine.

 

[John Paul Sanborn]

Sounds like a pine borer, dig aout the pich flowes and you may find a larvae.

There are no sure ways of treating for this pest, pines dont take up insecticides systemicly well.

Remove the worst ones, I have heard that basal injections of Merit show some promis. The problem is that it moves slowly and is a growth regilator that inhibits a larve from sheading and getting larger. so it works best befor the broblem is found.

Are the trees worth a treatment that has no track record? This with regular trunk drench applications for adults may help you keep the trees longer.

These pests are "opertunistic" that ia they infest trees that are weak from other stresses.