Turpentine Beetles

Turpentine Beetles are a common pest in our area.  This application should be done in the spring as a preventative or as a treatment if there’s an active problem.  Turpentine Beetles tends to attack stressed and unhealthy pine trees; however, they have also been found to target healthy Japanese Black Pines.  Contributing factors could be a combination of environmental factors and/or mechanical.

Environmental:
Drought
Lack of proper nutrients
Leaving old, infected wood on the property

Mechanical:
Construction damage to the root zone
Pruning pines during the growing season thus causing them to drip sap and attract the beetles.
Use of unseasoned pine-based wood chips