What causes this pine tree problem?

[Torvy]

Out marking trees for removal and saw this. Anyone know what it is?

 

[Alan46]

4 Reasons Your Pine Tree Might Be Losing Bark
Posted on October 28, 2016 by busybeeadmin
wind damage and landscapingTrees are a great way to add shade and beauty to your yard. Adding a beautiful pine tree is an easy way to instantly improve the curb appeal of your home and increase the value.

However, if your pine tree is sick or damaged in any way, that beautiful tree could become a huge eyesore.

Thankfully, there are some signs that you can keep your eyes opened for and contact a professional landscaping professional to help.

Here are a few reasons that your pine tree might be losing its bark:

Disease. Unfortunately, your pine tree is vulnerable to all sorts of different diseases. One of the more common pine tree diseases will cause needlecast and will lead to the bark of the tree coming off in chunks. Disease is the single most common reason that pine trees lose their bark and their pine needles.
Squirrels. If you notice that a pine tree in your yard is losing its bark – look for signs of squirrels. These pesky little critters will actually gnaw on the bark and remove it to get better access to the trunk of the tree. If your pine tree has squirrels nesting in it and they continue to gnaw on the bark – they will eventually kill your tree.
Lightning. This is an unusual though possible cause for your pine tree to lose its bark. The lightning can actually burn the bark right off of the trunk of the tree. The lightning doesn’t need to strike the tree directly either. In fact, a simple cloud-to-ground lightning strike will lead to the pine tree bark damage.
Nature. Some pine trees will just start to lose bark as a process of shedding that is completely natural. In these instances, there is no reason to be concerned as your pine tree is simply going through a normal process.
If you have pine trees on your property and you are worried about one or more of them losing bark – make sure to contact a professional tree care specialist who can help you to triage the problem. A tree that is shedding large amounts of bark at an alarming rate could have a serious problem and should be inspected right away.

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HOPE THIS HELPS

 

[TractorGuy]

Probably beetles.

Forest Health: Mountain Pine Beetle - Rocky Mountain National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

 

[MF RED in MT]

It might be antler rubs from a rutting buck...

KC

 

[ruffdog]

By the looks of the brown stuff under the bark, bugs have been there for a while. My trees look like that 2+ years after they died and the bark starts falling off.

 

[Torvy]

It might be antler rubs from a rutting buck...

Haha.. would have to be the biggest bucks ever....it goes up 40+ feet!

 

[MF RED in MT]

I was only guessing from the limited information you provided.

KC

 

[Redbug]

Pine beetles. I think those trees have been dying for quite awhile.

 

[MF RED in MT]

We have mountain pine beetles and when the very large (red headed) pileated woodpecker seems to be attacking a healthy looking tree, the beetles have already been in the tree for quite a while.

The blueish stained wood has become quite popular for local rustic furniture makers.

KC

 

[s219]

Pine beetles. I think those trees have been dying for quite awhile.

Agree, that tree has been dead a while. But hard to tell if it was beetles that did the killing or just beetles that showed up later. There are both kinds. What I see under the bark is from a type of beetle that goes after the dead wood, not the kind of beetle that would have killed a live tree. I see the same exact evidence on my pine saw logs if I let them sit for more than a couple months in summer.

There are signs you can spot on a live or dying tree to narrow down if it's pine beetles, such as holes with sawdust, holes with pitch coming out, etc. With many pine beetles, you only notice their presence from exit holes when they leave the tree, which is too late. By then, the needles will be losing their green color.

 

[Torvy]

Agree, that tree has been dead a while. But hard to tell if it was beetles that did the killing or just beetles that showed up later. There are both kinds. What I see under the bark is from a type of beetle that goes after the dead wood, not the kind of beetle that would have killed a live tree. I see the same exact evidence on my pine saw logs if I let them sit for more than a couple months in summer.

There are signs you can spot on a live or dying tree to narrow down if it's pine beetles, such as holes with sawdust, holes with pitch coming out, etc. With many pine beetles, you only notice their presence from exit holes when they leave the tree, which is too late. By then, the needles will be losing their green color.

Thanks, I'll have to look a little closer and check into treatments and prevention. Most of my property is pine forest...I don't want to lose them all, that is half of the reason we bought out here. We are a little far east for the mountain beetle, but probably a cousin.

 

[Torvy]

I was only guessing from the limited information you provided.

KC

No worries. I honestly appreciate your input. It just struck me funny because I knew how far up the tree it went. Picturing Rudolph and his mates flying up there to do some rubbing...

 

[oosik]

The ONLY trees on my 80 acres and for miles around - Ponderosa pines. The picture looks like Pine Bark beetle. I'd like to see a picture from ground level - up 20 or 30 feet.

The answer to beetle infestation - cut the tree down and completely burn it.

Usually the beetle will only attack trees that are less than healthy to start with.

 

[Torvy]

I thought I took one further up the tree, but me and tech sometimes disagree.

I have one zoomed out a bit further. The damage is similar further up the tree, at least 40 feet, maybe more.

 

[oosik]

OK - Torvy. Then I would DEFINITELY say - Pine Bark beetle. With that degree of infestation - the only answer, cut and burn. The sooner the better. The beetle infestation can/will spread to other pine trees.

Over a ten year period here - I will loose eight to a dozen pines due to the beetle. Spraying would be a very expensive undertaking here.

I cut and burn. I thin and chip my young stands of pines. This ensures only the very healthiest will continue to grow and resist the beetle.

 

[Torvy]

Thanks, I figured you would know. Looks like I have work to do over Christmas break.

 

[oosik]

Yes - the beetle control is an ongoing project for me. It will never end here. There are thousands and thousands of acres of pines around my puny 80 that have absolutely no control program.

This is open range cattle country. "They" could not care less about the pines.

 

[old and tired]

Ipps bark beetles attack up high, usually in dryer times. They normally don't kill a tree but rather a branch or so but they can kill the tree if there are enough of them.

The Photo doesn't show anything with Southern Pine Beetles...

What you are seeing there, after the tree is dead, wood borers will come in and feed. There are NO southern pine beetle galleries, in that photo. The galleries are very distinctive. Also, southern pine beetles need a live tree to attack (to be able to complete it's life cycle.) Once southern pine beetles attack a live tree. The tree's first defense is to push them out with sap. Which creates "Pitch Tubes" White pop-corn structures on the outside of the tree on the bark. Again, not seen in your photo...

 

[oldballs]

Here's what my Pine beetle disease looks like when the tree is dead........

 

[jyoutz]

Out marking trees for removal and saw this. Anyone know what it is?

Looks like bark beetles have killed the tree and some animals have knocked the bark off. Woodpeckers and bears often do this to get at the grubs under the bark of dead trees.