Interesting you mention this because an even more dangerous pest is currently raging on the East Coast from North Jersey, over to Illinois, and north... And that's the Asian longhorn beetle. This nasty bug is destined to defoliate and kill almost every common deciduous tree over here drought conditions or not, and I hope that we won't have to go through similar debates here...

Jenny, I also read that they bite! yikes. The same article also said they're mostly attacking Norway maples, which probably won't bother many on the forum, it being on one of the most hated trees list....it it's not one bug, it's another sure to come.

Figures - some pests from Asia will probably wipe out the live oaks, magnolias, bald cypress, pines, and yaupon hollies all around Houston soon. With luck, they'll kill off the imported tallow trees too. Makes you wonder what pests Asia is importing from us - besides HIV, all our cash, computer hacking and identity theft know-how, DVD+MP3 pirates, and an appetite for fossil fuels. God save those billions of souls from droughts like we've had.

Gosh Paula - did not know that they bite! Blech! And the way Norway & Silver maples propagate themselves around here, I don't think those trees are in much danger of being erradicated in any brief amount of time...lol. Although the more there are, the more beetles they can host... I did read a few more things and burning is one of the things they are doing to infested trees... After this drought, I wonder how many Norway maples did survive. Probably alot because they are sortof surface rooters and probably sucked up whatever little moisture there was around them while other plants near them died.

And LOL stitches!