How to Identify Pine Bark Beetles in Pine Trees

Pine bark beetles are tiny insects that feed on the nutrients within the inner bark of pine trees, leaving behind a tunnel system under the trunk of the tree. As an infestation grows, these tunnels become a home for large colonies of beetles that will eventually take over the entire tree if there is no interference. 

Types of Pine Bark Beetles

There are 3 types of pine bark beetles in our area that commonly feed on our local southern pine trees: southern pine beetles, ips engraver beetles, and black turpentine beetles. Pine trees are commonly infested by more than one of these types of pests. Here are the main identifying characteristics of each of these types:

• Southern pine beetles. Large pitch tubes within crevices that can be red in color, S shaped tunnels underneath the bark.
• Ips engraver beetles. Much smaller pitch tubes located on the flat bark plates rather than within the crevices of the bark. Tunnels underneath the bark in the shape of an H, an I, or a Y.
• Black turpentine beetles. Golf-ball sized pitch tubes that are pink in color and located on the lower 8-10 ft of the trunk. Tunnels that are short and wide rather than tunnels that seem to take a shape.

How To Spot Them

Here are some common defining characteristics in all 3 types of beetles:

• Pine needles fading from green, to yellow, to red. “Red-topped” pine trees amongst a cluster of green pine trees are most likely suffering from an infestation 
• Noticeable “pitch tubes”on trees. Pitch tubes are masses of sab and resin that the pine tree has pushed out as a defense mechanism against a pine bark beetle infestation. These pitch tubes look like globs of pink/white popcorn coming out of the tree bark.  
• All pine bark beetles leave behind little tiny exit holes all over the trunk of the tree
• A discolored fungus located underneath the bark that can appear blue, green, or gray in color. This fungus is caused by pests attempting to take over the pine tree and killing the tree’s water transport system. 

No matter what type of pine bark beetle infestation you may be experiencing, unfortunately there is no cure. The only way to eliminate these pests and keep them from spreading to your healthy trees is to cut the tree down as soon as possible to maintain the infestation. 

Pine bark beetles may not be treatable, but they are preventable. Pine bark beetles target trees already weakened by dehydration and other nutrient deficiencies.  They are also attracted to other kinds of nutrient deficiencies. Happy and healthy trees that are fed with lots of water and nutrients are far less likely to be infested by pine bark beetles here in the Myrtle Beach area.