I have ambrosia beetles. I don't know if they are at all related to the pine beetles, but these little stinkers really do a number on oak trees. We had arborguard out and they said since our neighborhood has so many old trees -- weakened by drought a few years ago -- the beetles were able to have a field day. We are losing quite a few lovely old trees in the neighborhood.

My oak out back started with borer holes, oozy sap, then black fungus-y stuff, and white fungus-y stuff. Now the bark is starting to fall off. Sad.

We tried a treatment for the tree (professionally administered) when we first determined the problem, but it didn't work in the end. The tree is going to have to go.

I wish you luck with your beetles. Let us know what the arborist says!

I will, they haven't called back yet. I inspected all the trees in a brief stop in the rain yesterday. No other trees have any 'pitch tubes' which are the holes that the beetles make and then sap comes out, so hopefully it's just a case of this tree being sick or dying and the beetles or whatever feasting on it. It's going to be a pain to cut it down though, because it's on a hill among a lot of other pine trees. This tree was slightly damaged in an ice storm a few years ago, so maybe that made it weaker, plus the drought.

I was worried about them when I planted an Alberta Spruce (so I gave it away). I was told there are very few treatment options. Below is a great link!

Here is a link that might be useful: UC Davis Pine Beetles

The arborist was here today. He didn't find any bugs, but thinks it was Southern Pine Beetle. He asked me how I felt about the trees, if I want to keep them or get rid of them. Keep them! I said. I guess a lot of people consider pines to be a pain, but they are natural to the area. So we have to have the remaining trees sprayed to prevent further damage and the one tree removed. He does think the tree was already compromised when it flopped over in the December 2005 ice storm and we staked it, but it had an injury to the bark. So that's where the beetles targeted. Also it was probably weakened by the drought.

He was very good and if anyone needs an arborist, I would recomment Bartlet Tree Service. They are in Tucker.

http://www.bartlett.com/index.cfm

I also use Bartlett!

He was great. He also told me that my cryptomerias had some cold damage and tip blight, but not bad enough to treat and that my boxwood died from the winter cold, not anything I did. Actually he told me they aren't dead and if I cut them back, they would regrow.

Most definitely contact your local Georgia Forestry Commission county office and ask for advise from one of their foresters. Kinda unusual foe Southern pine beetle to hit such young/small trees, but whadda I know!

We found two more trees with problems. They are small tress, so perhaps it isn't southern pine beetle, but something is eating at them. The three trees will be taken out and the other trees treated. I have to do something to protect the rest of the trees. I do have a lot of saplings coming up, so hopefully I will only lose these three and the new ones will fill in.

I do think the trees were drought stressed and the beetles are taking advantage.

ok, good news! The tree guy came and took down the dying tree. He said he didn't see any evidence of Southern Pine beetle, just a lot of fungus damage at the base and of course regular bugs were eating at the damaged parts. The other two trees were treated with spray (and injected with fertilizer) and all the pine trees were sprayed. They are coming back in August, and will re-evaluate the other two trees then. So big WHEW!!! from me.