What's killing these trees?

[von-mil]

I have several Austrian pines that are about 6 years old, about 6 feet tall. They have been pretty much buried in snow for the last 3 1/2 months. Now that the snow is finally melting, I am seeing that the bark on the base of the trunk is completely gone on some of the trees. I mean completely gone - nothing left but smooth wood all the way around. Does anyone know what happened here? I have not seen any animal tracks or tunnels nearby - just a bunch of bark shavings laying on the ground around the trunk.

Is there anything I can do to save these trees? How can I prevent this from happening to other pines? Some nearby spruce trees do not seem to be affected but I am not sure due to the remaining snow.

Here are some photos. I should be able to get better shots after some more melting takes place.

Thanks.

 

[MacLawn]

You say no sign of crits, but looks like beaver to me.

 

[dave1949]

Could be porcupines. They will strip bark like that. Looks ambitious for voles or mice.

 

[stuckmotor]

I think it's critters. If you figure out what critter is light enough not to leave tracks and can reach no higher than the top of the damage you might know the culprit. Some kind or wrap might save the remaining trees. Don't know about the prognosis for the ones already dammaged but, I think I'd wrap them too.

 

[tractchores]

It's probably mice. I've seen them do that to some of our trees, which were bigger (fruit trees). They always seem to do it under the snow in the winter. Definitely not beavers, they usually leave conical chunks in the wood that are very distinctive (have them too). The way we dealt with it was to put fine mesh wire around the base of the trees and make sure it's pretty tight to the base so they cannot get in. I'm not sure that there's anyway to save a tree if the bark was stripped off all the way around.

 

[MossRoad]

Its something short like a rabbit. And its probably something that can't climb trees like a rabbit. You can see teeth marks on the last picture on the underside of the branch. A rabbit probably tunnelled under the snow and enjoyed the salad bar from below.

If the trees are completely girdled, I doubt they can be saved.

 

[clemsonfor]

Is it climate? Do they get snow in the region of Australia that there from? Just looked at the pics close. There some little mammals that eat bark I think, maybe they have them out west or north, I remember hearing about them in school, but we don't have them here in the south so I cant help you, and no not beavers. It dosent quite look like a beaver to me? Now if they get worse like starting to looked cut down you know it will be beaver.

 

[studor]

+1 on rodent damage and those trees are toast -- sorry. Not a beaver -- they cut the tree down to eat the top and all the bark -- probably rabbit or mice. Porcupines usually go for hardwood -- You can cage the survivors next winter to avoid the problem --JMHO

 

[SPIKER]

I'm with the Rabbit People here, that is typical damage they do in winter. There are other rodents that also will browse on bark like deer mice and squirrels. the porcupines will eat them too but not sure if they are in your area...


Mark

 

[PILOON]

Moles or voles will do that, I have seen that often. I think they go for the sap as food.

 

[jerrybob]

It's probably mice. I've seen them do that to some of our trees, which were bigger (fruit trees). They always seem to do it under the snow in the winter. Definitely not beavers, they usually leave conical chunks in the wood that are very distinctive (have them too). The way we dealt with it was to put fine mesh wire around the base of the trees and make sure it's pretty tight to the base so they cannot get in. I'm not sure that there's anyway to save a tree if the bark was stripped off all the way around.

I agree......mice under the snow looking for food.....seen it before. The wire will work...also have seen folks wrap base with burlap. Good luck:thumbsup:

 

[greasemonkeyok]

If it is not an animal chewing on the bark, check for a fungus that causes trees to sluff their bark.

From the University of Illinois: Austrian Pine ... A widely planted tree, but use is somewhat limited by its susceptibility to disease and insects.

A fungus came through Eastern Oklahoma six or seven years ago and killed many of the pines that had been thriving for decades.

 

[Timm250]

Rabbits did the same thing to 3 of my fruit trees 2 years ago. All 3 died.

 

[clemsonfor]

yea if there completely girdled there dead, maybe hang on for a bit but that's the end.

 

[Gary Fowler]

In your area, I would definitely say that you have a hungry porcupine. Nothing you can do with those trees but replant. Make a wire cage about 6" in diameter out of wire fabric (1/2" wire spacing) and take it about 18" high and you should be ok for future attacks. Depending on your tree size, you may have to make the cage large enough to encompass all the lower branches till the tree grows high enough to prune up a bit.

 

[von-mil]

Thanks for the replies, folks. After reading them and putting 2 and 2 together, I've come to the conclusion that the damage was done by rabbits. In the first 6 years that I lived here, I saw zero rabbits. Then, starting last year, numerous rabbits.

Mice and voles would have been my next best guess but I just can't imagine that much bark damage done by such little pests.

Live and learn. For future winters, I'll be wrapping or caging the trees. Guess I will be planting some more this spring if the snow ever melts. Snowed again overnight. Last year at this time I was already cutting grass.