Although it is smaller than a grain of rice, the southern pine beetle is dubbed the ‘most destructive forest pest in the South’. Each year, the N.C. Forest Service tries to predict if there will be an outbreak of this native tree-killer by comparing the number of active southern pine beetle to its predator, the … Read more
With last year’s active southern pine beetle outbreaks across the southeastern U.S., it is increasingly important to forecast if the “most destructive pest in the South” will again rear it’s ugly head. One of the ways to predict this is through Southern pine beetle trapping, which the N.C. Forest Service does each year. Traps have … Read more
Smaller than a grain of rice, the southern pine beetle (SPB) is considered “the most destructive forest pest in the South”. This menacing label appropriately reflects the devastation it can cause, with outbreaks capable of costing millions of dollars between lost timber and management costs. Fortunately, SPB outbreaks are cyclical, typically occurring every 10-15 years. … Read more
Springtime in North Carolina means it’s raining pollen! A yellow glaze coats everything outside and many are taking their allergy medicine religiously. But if you’re in the right place at the right time, something else might be dropping onto your head from the pine trees: little worm-like insects called the pine catkin sawfly. Adult sawflies, … Read more
In recent years, pine trees in North Carolina have seen their fair share of ice storms, polar vortexes, and snow and ice weight in the cold winter months. Trees are safe from these threats in the heat of the summer, but there’s one snowy-looking critter that still has its sights set on our pines. The woolly … Read more
