James from Westfield, Ma writes
Black beetles infecting a large oak tree. Bark is growing fungus where beetles have infected the tree. 25% of tree bark is infected and I want to try and save the very large tree.
No, Acephate 97UP Insecticide is not labeled for bark beetles. The best product for bark beetles is Permethrin SFR 36.8%. The mixing ratio is 1 2/3 fl. oz per gallon of water. It is recommended that you spray the bark on the tree but not to the point of runoff. The biggest key with this insect is timing to ensure the infestation doesn't get out of hand. Once the tree is infested there isn't much you can do other than chop down the tree and burn it to try and prevent the current live ones from getting into any neighboring trees.
Answer last updated on: 03/09/2022
