The year 2016 has proven to be one that none of us can remember having such extremes. We have gone from hurricane damage near the coast to severe fire damage in north Georgia, and across the majority of the state we have seen extreme drought. This drought has caused long-term damage to hardwoods and pines in our area. Immediate damage from this drought is evidenced by dying tree tops, brown leaves and dropping needles. Long-term damage to root systems is likely. During the next two to three years, we will see both hardwoods and pines dying due to root damage suffered during this drought.
An update was sent from the Warnell School of Forestry, detailing a major outbreak of the engraver beetle for pines in Georgia. Due to the drought conditions in 2016, engraver beetle outbreaks are now occurring in multiple locations in Georgia. Over 3,700 small infestation spots have been identified in central Georgia. These infestations will be a problem for many landowners in the state. In central Georgia, on the Oconee National Forest, more than 300 individual Ips spots were identified with some spots as large as five to 10 acres. All of these spots are attributed to severe drought and landowners need sound management advice. A great publication was produced by the Southern Regional Extension Forestry on Ips Bark Beetles; please follow the link: https://www.sref.info/resources/publications/ips-bark-beetles-in-the-southeastern-u.s
Across the Southeast there are four species of Ips bark beetles (one large, two mediums, and a small Ips.) Normally Ips engraver beetles are identified by their “spines” and what appears to be a “scooped out” depression at the rear end of the beetle. These beetles are normally found in stressed trees, logging debris, or damaged branches and generally infest only small groups of trees. Signs and symptoms of Ips infestations are discolored crowns, dying and dead branches, sloughing bark, pitch tubes (normally a red color) coming through the middle of the bark plate, or red “sawdust” on top of the bark plate. In some cases you will find “frass” and sawdust in spider webs around the base of the tree. Galleries, under the bark, are typically vertical and resemble “I,” “H,” or “Y” shapes.
Ips engraver beetles carry a fungus called “blue-stain” that spreads into the wood and blocks water flow which accelerates the death of the tree. In severe drought, pitch tubes from Ips infestation may not be seen due to the lack of moisture inside the tree. Ips populations can increase rapidly under warm weather conditions, but develop slowly when temperatures drop below 59 degrees.
From the Columbia County News-Times: https://newstimes.augusta.com/news/2017-02-19/drought-beetles-wreaking-havoc