Staff Writer

Have you looked at the pine trees in your yard lately? Any brown needle patches?

If you have, then take a closer look. Are there strange holes in the trunk? If so your pine trees may have Ips Bark Beetles, commonly known around here as pine bark beetles.

Excessive heat and lack of rain are causing pine trees throughout the South to weaken and be susceptible to the infestation of these beetles along with the fungus they thrive on.

Dennis Franklin and his crew from Fairfield Electric recently took down a huge pine tree on the corner of 321 Bypass and Newberry Rd.

Though the tree looked healthy from the ground, the top showed signs that it was dying. The threat to the power lines made it necessary to cut it down.

There are some things you can do to reduce the stress of your trees and give them a chance to fight off the beetles said Laurie Reid, the disease and inspect specialist with the S.C. Forestry Commission.

She recommends putting mulch around the base of the tree, not too much but enough to protect the roots and keep moisture in.

She also says that homeowners should be careful to protect the roots from accidental cutting and not over do putting the chemicals around the tree’s roots.

If you do have to cut down your pine tree, Reid advises removing the tree to stop the spread of the beetle to the other trees in your yard.

If your tree is dying and it is near a power line, call the power company and ask for their assistance, if the tree needs to be cut down.

You will want to do this before it falls on its own and causes a bigger problem.

If you have any questions about the pine bark beetle and its effect on trees, call the Forestry Commission at the regional office in Newberry County at 803-276-3823.