Kara from Madera Ca. writes
I have healthy looking ponderosa pines but my area in Sierras has a lot of pine bark beetle infestations and I want to treat incase mine do have some infestation I cant see. Also will this deter infestations?
Unfortunately there is no easy solution when it comes to pine beetles. Infected trees should be cut down (before the newly hatched beetles fly out of the trees in the spring/summer) and the wood burned or chipped, while other still healthy trees should be sprayed annually to protect them. Because of the natural boring behavior of the beetle they are protected from topically applied insecticides and systemic insecticides such as Monterey Once A Year Insect Control II have proven ineffective for pine beetle infestations. Healthy trees can be protected before the beetles attack by topically spraying them with a synthetic pyrethroid like Tengard. The tree should be sprayed from the ground to 15 ft up the trunk to prevent future infestations. You should contact your local cooperative extension office to find out the best time to start spraying in your region.
Answer last updated on: 02/04/2021
