Concerns about Loblolly Pine

[SexyGArdener]

What’s this and how concern should I be? The white foamy substance is hard as sugar and the black sheath is only near candles with the white hard stuff

 

[Chop_n_Change]

it looks like an insect (mite, aphid, miner) or another piercing/sucking insect, with the white being pitch (if its hard like sugar) (defensive measure by the tree to combat the insect invader), and black sooty mildew from the bug excrement.

the pitch may have taken care of the insect that caused it, but those white fluffy looking bits in the crotch of the needles look like Wooly adelgids: "from the Googles"

a stiff stream from the hose, neem, insecticidal soap are what i use to spot treat, but you may lose those candles if they get hollowed out by the bugs.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Adelgids - related to the more common mealy bugs. Look for pesticides that list "kills wooly adelgids". This is serious, it is unlikely that soap and water sprays will do the trick.

www.hummert.com - this is where I mail order pesticides and fungicides. As always, read, read, read, all the labels and choose what is appropriate for your situation. They have some aerosol sprays cans that are handy if you have less than 20 trees. They have the concentrates if you have many trees, and need to make your own sprays to treat a large collection.

 

[rockm]

Adelgids - related to the more common mealy bugs. Look for pesticides that list "kills wooly adelgids". This is serious, it is unlikely that soap and water sprays will do the trick.

www.hummert.com - this is where I mail order pesticides and fungicides. As always, read, read, read, all the labels and choose what is appropriate for your situation. They have some aerosol sprays cans that are handy if you have less than 20 trees. They have the concentrates if you have many trees, and need to make your own sprays to treat a large collection.

Yep. Adelgids. If you have them, they are not easy to get rid of with sprays. That white fuzz repels most moisture. Squish them

 

[SexyGArdener]

I just treated with Bonide systematic pesticides last week which does covers adelgids, aphids, etc. I bust open the white clusters and saw that it is in fact infected with pink aphids like bugs. I will manually control the infestation in the next few days and will reapply the systematic pesticides this weekend.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

The label on the Bonide should list how frequently to re-apply at what temperature. Read the label recommendation. Bonide has several good products if you follow their directions.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Have had mealy bugs on Ponderosa reasonably bad and 2-3 sessions of insecticidal soap work to clear them. And is not toxic to other things like bonide..