What is killing the pine trees in Maine?

One of the most destructive forest pests in the Southeast has made its way to Maine. The southern pine beetle, which has destroyed millions of acres of pine forests in its native South, was discovered in Waterboro last fall.

How do you treat pine borers?

Sanitation. Removing and destroying infested trees help protect neighboring trees that are still healthy. Burning, or chipping and burying the trees with borers inside, will kill the borers before they become adults and can walk, crawl, or fly to nearby healthy trees. Sanitation is most effective between Oct.

Are there pine beetles in Maine?

Pine shoot beetle was first found in Ohio in 1992, it has since spread through the Great Lakes and northeastern North America. This insect was first recorded from Maine in 2000. There are low numbers of pine shoot beetle in scattered pockets of Franklin and Oxford Counties.

What does pine borer damage look like?

These include yellowing or wilting of the needles, holes in the bark that exude sawdust or pitch, emergence holes of the beetles in the bark, or tree death. In some cases, the damage is so extensive that the tree cannot recover. Insecticides will not penetrate the bark and sapwood to kill borer larvae.

Why are there so many dead trees in Maine?

Causes of Declining Spruce Health The majority of mature spruce stands on the Maine coast now contain some wind damaged areas that have created openings in the canopy and will increase the impact of future wind storms. Severe droughts in 1994 and 1995 caused added stress to spruce trees on shallow, ledgy sites.

Is Emerald Ash Borer in Maine?

The emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis, is one of the most serious invasive species threatening our ash resources and forests. All species of (Fraxinus) ash trees, but not (Sorbus) mountain ash, that grow in Maine are susceptible to injury and death by the emerald ash borer.

Can a tree recover from borers?

It may seem too easy, but borers are attracted to trees that are stressed and injured; pruning wounds are a common entry point for the first generation of invading borers. Adding mulch around your tree and providing it with supplemental water and fertilizer will help it fight off borers and heal from previous damage.

Why are there holes in my pine tree?

Answer: The holes were likely created by sapsuckers. Sapsuckers, members of the woodpecker family, damage trees by drilling holes in the trunk or large branches. Sapsucker damage is very distinctive.

Why are pine trees turning brown in Maine?

White pine needle disease is a complex of fungal diseases that cause early defoliation earlier in the year, in June and July. Unlike what is happening now, it’s not a natural process. It has been occurring every summer in Maine for the last 15 years or so. “We have had very wet springs,” Bergdahl said.

What is killing the evergreen trees in Maine?

Where is the emerald ash borer in Maine?

EAB was first found in Aroostook County (Madawaska, Frenchville, and Grand Isle), and York County (Acton, Berwick, and Lebanon), ME in 2018. It was detected in Cumberland County (Portland) in September 2019.

Are there borers in white pine trees?

Dead White Pine infested with Borers The Flat Headed borer , Buprestis lineate, (Family Buprestidae) is common in the pines in the east and south, including log houses! In early summer through fall, young larvae are active in the pine bark, mining the juicy inner bark which is carrying nutrients down to the roots.

How do you get rid of pine borers?

Applications of borer insecticides to the tree leaders or imidacloprid to the soil can be effective in early spring to kill adults attempting to lay eggs. Weevil pests that breed in dead or dying pine can stunt or kill neighboring healthy pine trees.

What does the fleshy larval stage of a pine borer look like?

The fleshy larval stage looks very similar to the flat headed borer and can be the same size (pinky size; 3-3.25 inches) The larvae are opportunistic on already weakened pine trees, feeding on inner bark.

Is there a red pine tree in Maine?

Nearest Known Occurrences: Red pine scale was detected in Mount Desert, Hancock County, Maine in September 2014. This is the first known occurrence in Maine.