10 Bark Beetle Killed Pondos

[BOTS]

To help give a clear picture of whats going on with the beetle I peeled back some bark at 50-60ft on trunk(they attack half way up pines)

And there ya go, western bark beetle in dormant mode.

You can see them on underside of bark

Healthy pines produce pitch which pushes beetles out, but on drought stressed trees the Adult beetle bores thru tree bark and lay eggs under bark, the Larvae feed on inner bark till they become mature then go/bore Into tree and cut off water supply and nutrients

Once a pine has been successfully attacked they release Pheromones attracting other beetles.
They can take over/own a tree in as little as 3 weeks.....

 

[BOTS]

Here's what you fine at base of trunks near ground and up to mabey 4ft..... pink/red pitch means there eating into bark leaving shavings which causes the pink/red color

White pitch means its a healthy tree.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Thanks for the lesson, Scott. Always interested to learn.

It was a while back, going on a decade ago that I was working dry Tahoe forests.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Bastards.

 

[HolmenTree]

Man you got your work cut out for you climbing up and down those 10 trees. Looks like what I can see you got lot's of room to straight fell them......

 

[Mick!]

Thanks for the beetle pics and info.

 

[squisher]

Willard as you should well know pics don't always show all the angles. Also with dead pines sometimes it's easier to climb and strip them and clean up in a controlled fashion in a smaller area than just lay them out and have mess everywhere.

 

[HolmenTree]

Yeah but you have that big rat nest of limbs at the base of each tree......groundie's is playing Russian roulett not to get beaned on the head .

 

[squisher]

It's all in the mojo of the flow. I love to lay a tree out if at all possible but there's been more than one big pine that I've questioned that method on when after the 30 seconds of fame you have the three hours of pain.

 

[HolmenTree]

Yeah I guess it's all what you get used too , or only want to do.

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Quote Originally Posted by murphy4trees View Post
Scott,
Nice job.
it as cool seeing Bix do his thing on some of those big dry pines... And see your passion for trees...
Looks like a good winter for you all. I trust you know what you're doing and still think it would make sense to get a groundie to help.. that's a lot of up and down to start with, then dealing with the brush and wood solo... not my idea of fun...
Thanks Dan

I have a groundie but he wasnt avalible that day, he will be there on the rest of job though.


Probably won't be the groundies idea of fun, either

 

[BOTS]

Man you got your work cut out for you climbing up and down those 10 trees. Looks like what I can see you got lot's of room to straight fell them......

Hey Will, ya Ive already straight felled 3 so far and looks like I could get one more to fit in this tight area.

Some of these trees are tall so the tops would end up hitting other trees and causing damage, and another big problem is that the tops just "Shatter" (there dead) like 20 to 30ft sometimes and could damage home.

I will never fall one out on the street, big no no here!

Lots more room to limb up, take top, then once chipped, fell spar and skid it off to side..
ready for next ones

 

[BOTS]

Willard as you should well know pics don't always show all the angles. Also with dead pines sometimes it's easier to climb and strip them and clean up in a controlled fashion in a smaller area than just lay them out and have mess everywhere.

thats been our plan, squish nailed it!

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

Damaged trunks will invite more beetles, I suspect.

 

[squisher]

Some of these trees are tall so the tops would end up hitting other trees and causing damage, and another big problem is that the tops just "Shatter" (there dead) like 20 to 30ft sometimes and could damage home.

I will never fall one out on the street, big no no here!

Beetle kill pine tops seem Espescially bad for for busting up ime. We had the beetle run through here a few years back and it seemed like the tops would dry and set to rot way quicker than the rest of the tree. Along with the roots that is, over the next few years down there as you get called for the ones that were left you'll want to really take a kick around of the roots.

As for roads, well I've punched a hole or two in atleast one or a few if I had to admit to it.

 

[Limbrat]

As for roads, well I've punched a hole or two in atleast one or a few if I had to admit to it.

I can remember thinking as a big sycamore was coming down on the road; "I should've cut that stub off a little closer". Whoops.
Thanks for the particulars on the beetles Scott, that was very informative. I just picked up an eight pine removal job this afternoon, nothing near as big as those pondos, maybe 90' on the tallest.

 

[HolmenTree]

All good points guys. I know when I fell oversized dead birch, they explode into a million pieces when they hit the ground.
Makes me think about a grapple rake on a mini would come in real handy for that
Nice pics and information about the beetle Bots.....still no beetle out this way yet.

 

[pantheraba]

10-4, BOTS, on the beetle pictures and explanation. I have seen some of the journals (eaten passages) under bark before around here...recently...never have found the actual critter.

 

[CurSedVoyce]

SOP here too Scott. Little circle of mess with proper communication and timing can save hours on a straight out fell of these trees. I move at a relaxed pace. ground man clears base, cut some more.
100 footer easily stripped and topped in an hour if not too brushy. Some more, some less. All you have to do is not bury your ground man.
Done that 80 footer I made vid of solo in 3 or so hours. Stripped. Topped, moved the brush to a staging area and felled the stick. No raking. Just make sure you land the limbs right
Well the dingo helped

 

[SouthSoundTree-]

10-4, BOTS, on the beetle pictures and explanation. I have seen some of the journals (eaten passages) under bark before around here...recently...never have found the actual critter.

Those are called GALLERIES, Gary. The pattern of the galleries will indicate, at least to some extent, the species of bark beetle, to the trained eye.

 

[MasterBlaster]

Cool to know.

 

[pantheraba]

Good on galleries...I had a niggling that journals might not be right but it popped into my wee noggin'...thanks.

 

[BOTS]

Heres a couple pics of today....beetle's introduces a Fungus when they occupy a pine tree....this is called "Blue wood"

They call this second grade wood because of the stain, but some people prefer it giving a unique look

 

[Altissimus]

...an interesting Pathogen. Is it an introduced non-native invasive ?? Hate the introduced ones.

 

[BOTS]

Nope, just native here