Pine Bark Beetle Treatment in Houston

What is a Pine Bark Beetle?

The Southern Pine Bark Beetle is an insect that attacks pine trees. They are attracted to drought-stressed trees or distressed trees. The Southern Pine Bark Beetle is approximately the size of a grain of rice and bores a hole through the bark and into the Phloem, Cambium, and Xylem layers of the Pine tree. These layers are the vascular layers of the tree (like our veins and arteries).

Although small, the Southern Pine Bark Beetle attacks the tree in large numbers, so that the number of bore holes in the tree is in the hundreds to thousands. Ultimately, the vascular layer of the tree is interrupted to the extent that nutrients are no longer able to make it to the tree's foliage, and the tree dies. This takes as little as 14 days from the time of entry. By the time you notice the infestation, it may have already been 10 days or more.

What does ArborTrue do?

A small plug, called the Arborplug™, is inserted into a drilled hole in the tree. A needle is inserted through the Arborplug™, and the formulation is injected. Formulations are quickly distributed through the trunk, branches, and leaf tissue. The Arborplug™ keeps the injected formulation inside the tree, protects it, and stays inside the tree with no adverse reactions. The tree grows right over the Arborplug.

What are the benefits of this method?

No mess left behind. No chemicals are left in the soil or in the air, so it is safe for your children and pets. The results are effective and are backed by proven university trials. Long-term treatment and prevention benefits for about two years! Safe for use around rivers, lakes, streams, and federal/state land.

What are not suitable treatments?

Spraying the trees: Spraying trees is effective only for parasites that will actually come in contact with the insecticide. Pine bark beetles are deep inside the tree. Spraying will also kill many desirable insects, such as butterflies, ladybugs, and honeybees. Spraying is not legal near waterways and is toxic to fish. Spraying is generally messy. Sprayed insecticides will usually wash off in the rain. Spraying requires large amounts of solution.

Deep root injections: Deep root injections depend on a healthy root system to take up the solution, which is not always available in a drought-stressed tree. Many times in suburban and urban areas, the roots are under the driveway, house, street, or other structures, and the tree cannot be treated correctly. On a pine tree, the roots go deeper than the equipment can reach because the root is a tap root. This method requires large amounts of solution, and runoff is a significant issue, especially in environmentally sensitive areas. Not safe around playgrounds. In flower beds, secondary damage can occur to the other plants that do not need the treatment.

What does it cost?

One of our ISA Certified Arborists can help you determine if you have pine bark beetles, what species of beetle it is, and how treatable your trees are. They charge a minimal fee for that consultation and can help you understand your options so you are not taken advantage of by unsavory characters in the market.

We advise homeowners to adopt preventive measures instead of merely identifying the causes and effects of the pine bark beetle attack.