
How do you get rid of white pine weevil?
Damage from white pine weevil can be prevented by spraying the upper trunk and terminals of spruce and pine in early to mid-April and again two weeks later with products that contain bifenthrin, permethrin or cyfluthrin. Apply these products at rates given on the label for bark beetles or borers.
What is killing the white pine trees in my yard?
The white pine weevil is one of the most serious pests of white pine in the area. Feeding damage rarely kills trees but can cause multiple leaders to develop on infested trees as the terminal leader is killed. Feeding injury can also stunt or distort trees.
What happens to white pine weevils in the winter?
White pine weevil spends the winter in the adult stage, under dropped needles and other sheltering debris, usually very close to previously infested trees. In spring, the adults crawl to trees, although some may fly when temperatures exceed 70 degrees F. Mating occurs on the bark of the tree.
What is the white pine weevil called?
This insect is sometimes called the lodgepole pine terminal weevil. The white pine weevil ( Pissodes strobi) produces a conspicuous injury to the terminal growth of spruce trees. In late spring, new growth wilts and dies back.

What does a white pine weevil look like?
The adult is a small rust-colored weevil that is about 4-6 mm long. It has irregularly shaped patches of brown and white scales on the front wings. Near the apex of the front wings is a large white patch. Like most weevils, the adult has a long snout-like beak from which small antennae arise.
What insect kills white pines?
The white pine weevilThe white pine weevil (figure 1)— Pissodes strobi (Peck) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)—is a native insect attacking eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.).
What do white pine weevil eat?
Life Cycle. Adult white pine weevils overwinter in litter on the ground. From April to May, they emerge and begin feeding on terminal growth. They favor feeding on bark 7-10” below dormant terminal buds.
Do pine weevils bite?
The pine weevil was slapped and identified. Minor traumas of the skin or insect bites in the summertime usually do not require medical intervention. The bite mark reported in our case was described when advanced secondary cellulitis had spread over the patient's neck.
Why is my white pine turning brown at the top?
The two most likely causes of a pine tree turning brown from the top down are pine wilt and drought stress, which are serious concerns. Secondary factors such as pest or fungus infection can worsen the issue.
How do you treat pine beetles?
The only treatment that can be applied to the tree is preventative. This will protect the tree by killing the beetles before they infest the tree. Insecticides containing the active ingredients permethrin or carbaryl and labeled for bark beetle control, should be done by early June to protect trees from MPB.
Can weevils bite?
Q: DO WEEVILS BITE HUMANS? A: No. Weevils feed exclusively on grains, seeds, nuts, roots and even some fruits. Unlike fleas or ticks, they do not have a parasitic relationship to either human beings or common household pets.
What is eating my white pine tree?
The white pine weevil causes extensive damage to many types of evergreen trees. It is also known as the Engelmann spruce weevil and the Sitka spruce weevil. Adult weevils are about 8 mm (. 31 inches) long.
How long do white pine trees live?
Growth and Yield- White pine is a long-lived tree commonly reaching 200 years if undisturbed; maximum age may exceed 450 years.
How do I permanently get rid of weevils?
Wipe the shelves with hot soapy water or a disinfecting spray then wipe again with white vinegar, which is known to kill weevils. Clean any unaffected items such as cans or containers before returning them to the pantry.
How do you stop weevils?
How to prevent weevils in the pantry. If you have room in your freezer, place items such as flour, grains, cereals and pulses in freezer bags and place the items in the freezer for a minimum of four days. This will kill any eggs that may be present in the produce.
How do you get rid of weevils naturally?
Cloves and bay leaves act as natural repellents to weevils. Place a few bay leaves in your dried food containers to ward off these pests, and position several cloves of garlic around your pantry and kitchen to deter these bugs from making a home in your pantry. White vinegar is also known to kill pesky pantry weevils.
What bug is killing my pine trees?
Weevil pests that breed in dead or dying pine can stunt or kill neighboring healthy pine trees. These include the pales weevil, northern pine weevil, and pine root collar weevil. Pales and northern pine weevil can also attack pine seedlings that are planted next to dead stumps to replace recently killed pines.
What type of bugs eat pine trees?
Pine trees are susceptible to damage by over 20 different kinds of insects, including aphids, borers, caterpillars, mealybugs, and weevils. Look for signs of insects by examining needles, branches, and bark.
What kind of bugs eat pine needles?
Pine sawflies are conifer-feeding insects. They are categorized into two groups: spring species and summer species. Both feed on pine needles, causing the needles to turn yellow or brown. Sometimes the needles are completely consumed.
What is making holes in my pine tree?
Answer: The holes were likely created by sapsuckers. Sapsuckers, members of the woodpecker family, damage trees by drilling holes in the trunk or large branches. Sapsucker damage is very distinctive.
How to kill white pine weevil?
Spray Applications. The standard approach to manage white pine weevil is to spray insecticides in spring so that they cover the terminal. This treatment is directed at the overwintered adults to kill them before they lay eggs. Current insecticides useful for this treatment would include products that contain bifenthrin (Talstar, Onyx), permethrin (Astro), or cyfluthrin (Tempo). Rates of use should be to the high-end of what is labeled, such as for bark beetles or borers.
How do white pine weevils live in winter?
White pine weevil spends the winter in the adult stage, under dropped needles and other sheltering debris, usually very close to previously infested trees. In spring, the adults crawl to trees, although some may fly when temperatures exceed 70 degrees F. Mating occurs on the bark of the tree. There is a period of feeding on the bark of the terminal branches. Feeding wounds are often marked by a point of resin.
How many eggs do weevils lay?
To lay eggs, female weevils chew small pits in the bark, beginning just below the unemerged bud of the new terminal. Typically one or two eggs are laid in each pit which is then capped. A single female may lay 100 or more egg s. The legless larval grubs then begin to feed on the wood underneath the bark.
What insecticides are used for bark beetles?
Current insecticides useful for this treatment would include products that contain bifenthrin (Talstar, Onyx), permethrin (Astro), or cyfluthrin (Tempo). Rates of use should be to the high-end of what is labeled, such as for bark beetles or borers. Timing is very important but difficult to determine.
What is the term for the insect that wilts spruce trees?
This insect is sometimes called the lodgepole pine terminal weevil. The white pine weevil ( Pissodes strobi) produces a conspicuous injury to the terminal growth of spruce trees. In late spring, new growth wilts and dies back. The affected terminals wilt into a ‘shepherd’s crook’ form and the needles often become lighter colored before they ...
Where is the white pine weevil most likely to be injured?
Injury by white pine weevil is almost entirely limited to higher elevation areas of the state and foothill areas.
Is white pine weevil in Colorado?
Presently, injury by white pine weevil is almost entirely limited to higher elevation areas of the state and foothills, although significant problems do extend into Colorado Springs.
How long does it take for a white pine weevil to emerge?
The white pine weevil has one generation per year.
What is the most destructive pest to white pine?
The white pine weevil is considered the most destructive insect pest of eastern white pine in North America. This species kills the terminal leader primarily of eastern white pine. Colorado blue, Norway, and Serbian spruces, Scots, red, pitch, jack, and Austrian pines, and occasionally Douglas-fir are also attacked.
What is the first symptom evident from successful attack by this pest?
The first symptom evident from successful attack by this pest is glistening droplets of resin on terminal leaders of the host plant in late March and April. This is the result of punctures made by adults in the process of feeding and cutting egg-laying sites.
How big are weevils?
The adult is a small rust-colored weevil that is about 4-6 mm long. It has irregularly shaped patches of brown and white scales on the front wings. Near the apex of the front wings is a large white patch. Like most weevils, the adult has a long snout-like beak from which small antennae arise. The larval stage, which lives beneath the bark, is white with a distinct brown head. When mature, the larva is approximately 7 mm long, legless, and slightly C-shaped.
When to spray resin on a leader?
Observations of resin droplets on the leader in early spring may be an indication that adults are feeding. Application of a registered formulation of an insecticide should be made from late March through April when droplets of resin are first detected. Only the terminal leader needs to be sprayed. Insect parasitoids and predators as well as birds feed on this pest. The effect of these natural enemies is not significant enough to prevent damage.
When do larvae burrow on trees?
The good news is infested trees are seldom killed. Most damage is done by the larval stage. Larvae are found just under the bark of infested terminals from May through July. Larvae chew and burrow completely around the stem causing the current year's growth to wilt, droop, and eventually die.
Can spruce trees be killed?
The good news is infested trees are seldom killed.
How to control white pine weevil?
Chemical Control - White pine weevil can be controlled chemically by one to two applications of insecticide when adults emerge (from mid-April to early May). Spray applications should be two weeks apart.
How long does it take for a pine weevil to kill a tree?
Adults emerge in 10-15 days and continue to feed on old and new growth. The white pine weevil often kills 2-3 years of terminal growth. Damage from this weevil results in reduction of lumber yield and poor quality ornamentals for nursery and Christmas trees.
What is the most destructive pest to white pines?
The white pine weevil (Pissodes strobi) is one of the most destructive insect pests of eastern white pines in North America. Norway spruce, jack pine, scotch pine, pitch pine, red pine, blue spruce, and white spruce are also susceptible to white pine weevil damage.
When do white pine weevils emerge?
Adult white pine weevils overwinter in litter on the ground. From April to May, they emerge and begin feeding on terminal growth. They favor feeding on bark 7-10” below dormant terminal buds. Females deposit eggs in the bark of the terminal growth, which hatch in 7-10 days.
What You Can Do
A comprehensive pest control plan is necessary to combat white pine weevil infestations. Direct control through the use of pesticides may be necessary but is not advised without first consulting a specialist in tree pest control. Diversification of the tree population can also prove effective.
Appearance
As is suggested by their name, white pine weevils most commonly infest white pine and spruce trees. However, specimens may also be found on black spruce and lodge pole pines. Adults are easily identified by their unique rust coloration. They measure between 6 to 7 mm in length and feature brown and white scales along their wings.
Behavior
Feeding punctures in the bark of trees are early signs of infestation. These punctures appear in early summer months and may ooze a light resin. In May and June, they will begin to scab over. Most damage caused by a white pine weevil infestation is due to the feeding habits of larvae, which are white with brown head markings.
Reproduction
White pine weevils reproduce only once each year. Adults emerge in early spring and move to infest host trees. These weevils mate in the fall and eggs are laid in host trees in the spring. Eggs hatch within 10 days, but adults do not remain with their larvae.
Signs of Infestation
Droplets of resin and small holes in the trees may indicate white pine weevil activity.
