What is killing our Pines?

One of the major pine tree killers are the pine bark beetles. They can kill a pine tree in a matter of days. There are several types of beetles that occur in the south which include: the Southern Pine Beetle, the Black Turpentine Beetle and the Ips Beetle.

Pine Bark Beetles are killing large numbers of pines on almost every golf course in the southern U.S. The beetles are called Ips Engraver Beetles. On golf courses, these beetles usually attack only storm damaged or weak trees. Yellow pines suffering from Southern Pine Decline (mature pines that exhibit yellow, weak foliage) are the beetles' favorite prey. The recent Hurricanes have severely weakened many of our trees and the Ips Beetles numbers have subsequently grown to epidemic proportions.

The beetles are now successfully attacking trees that appear healthy and would normally be able to repel the insect attack. The Ips Beetles numbers are so large that they simply over whelm the trees defenses and kill the tree in a matter of days.