Is it normal or is it a beetle attack?

If you notice the needles on a ponderosa tree looking yellowish, is it normal or a beetle attack? Take a closer look at all the needles to inspect for the following signs:

• Are the needles on the end of the branch green and straight?
• Are only the interior needles of the branch brown?

If the answer to both questions is yes, it is likely normal. As part of the tree’s growth cycle, it sheds some of the needle’s closest to the trunk each year.

If all needles are drooping and yellowish like the tree in the above picture, there is likely a problem with the tree, and it could be the bark beetle. Inspect the trunk looking for tiny holes. These may be caused by the beetles, or birds holes feeding on the beetle. If there are small holes around the trunk, remove a small portion of the bark around the holes to see if there are signs of the beetle.

Once you remove the bark, it is usually obvious whether it is a beetle attack. The picture below is the bark from the tree pictured above. You will quickly see the channels (galleries) in the bark. If the beetle is still active, you will see white larvae about the size of a grain of rice.

If you see signs of the beetle, go to Bark Beetles in Ponderosa Pine page to see what to do next.