Our pines and evergreens are often some of our favorite Spartanburg trees in the yard.

No matter the season or weather, they’re always there to brighten our day with a pop of green.

Now, your pine Spartanburg trees may ask for a favor in return – protect them from pine beetles.

From coast to coast, destructive pine beetles are eating their way through our pine trees.

Learn the common signs of pine beetles, how to prevent them from hurting your Spartanburg trees and how to control them if they’re already there.

How do I know if my Spartanburg trees have pine beetles? What are the symptoms?

Whether the mountain pine beetle, Southern pine beetle or Western pine beetle is in your area, the signs they leave behind are the same.

On pine trees, look for these symptoms.

•         Beetles 3-7 millimeters in length
•         Small, yellow gummy-shaped sap formations, called pitch tubes
•         Fine, powdery red-brown dust around holes on Spartanburg tree bark
•         Foliage that changes to a dull green, then yellow and finally a reddish-brown

How can I protect my pines from pine beetles?

If you have pine Spartanburg trees and know pine beetles are in your area, you guessed it. Proactive prevention is your best bet to save your pine trees.

Pine beetles of all kinds – including the Western, Southern and mountain pine beetle –  attack weak trees. Generally, pine beetles leave healthy Spartanburg trees alone. Though, if their population is high, they may attack healthy ones as well.

Work with your local arborist to create a long-term plant health care plan. Most often, they’ll keep your Spartanburg trees fertilized, mulched, pruned and watered during drought or other stressful periods. This way, your Spartanburg trees are healthier and less vulnerable to damage.

Plus, you can also proactively apply insecticide treatments to stop these harmful beetles before they attack.

How do I control pine beetles? Is there a treatment for pine beetles?

If your Spartanburg tree looks like it’s infested with pine beetles, have a certified arborist out to confirm. From there, your arborist can help determine the next step.

Often, infested Spartanburg trees are removed to prevent the beetle from spreading to other pines in your yard.

The treatment for pine beetles works best when applied proactively before an infestation is detected.

So, if you have a pine Spartanburg tree you love, act early to reduce the pine beetles’ impact and damage.

Contact your local arborist to save and protect your pine Spartanburg tree today.