🌲Forest Pest Spotlight 🌲 Tiny Insects, Big Impact: Bark Beetles Bark beetles are small invasive insects that play an important role in forest ecosystems, but large outbreaks can cause significant damage to pine forests across North Carolina.

These beetles tunnel beneath tree bark, cutting off the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. Droughts, overcrowding, and stressed trees can make forests more vulnerable to attacks from this invasive species. How to spot them: 🔍Tiny holes in the bark where beetles enter and exit 🔍Pitch tubes, or small clumps of sap on the outside of the tree 🔍Sawdust-like materials collected in bark crevices or around the base of the tree 🔍Needles fade from green to yellow, then reddish brown Fun Fact: Most bark beetles are about the size of a grain of rice, but they can still kill large trees when populations grow rapidly. Learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/4cfbp8by #ForestryFactFriday 📸Photo credit: Directree