Native Plants

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Thursday - October 08, 2009

From: The Woodlands, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Trees
Title: White pine insect problems
Answered by: Anne Bossart

QUESTION:

We live in The Woodlands TX. Some of our large pine trees have leaking sap and one is dead. What can we do to save the one's still alive?

ANSWER:

Pine bark beetle is a huge problem in The Woodlands and all across North America, not just the Piney Woods.

It is of particular concern in the Woodlands, however, as it is the Woodlands is a community carved out of a second growth forest made up primarily of pine trees. When a monoculture like that is attacked, the problem can spread like wildfire and decimate the entire population (as happened to the American Elm and Chestnut). Many things (construction damage, drought and so on) stress the trees, making them more susceptible to insect and disease damage.