Livingston, William H

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Updates on Insect Pests of Eastern White Pine, Including Southern Pine Beetle Outbreak in NC in 2000Dr. William H. LivingstonSchool of Forest ResourcesUniversity of MaineSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 2EWP Insect Pests• 277 known insect and fungal stress agents• 23 are significant• Common insect pests not affecting management– Pine leaf adelgid (Pineus pinifoliae)– Pine bark adelgid (Pineus strobi)– White pine aphid (Cinara strobi)– Eastern pine shoot borer (Eucosmagloriole)– Ips pini bark beetle and stressed treesSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 3EWP Insect Pests• Pine bast scale• White pine weevil– Limits the use of EWP plantations in the north– Not limiting in the south• Southern pine beetle– Range is expanding into the Northeast– Has affected white pine in the SoutheastUSFS Insect & Dis Leaflet 21USFS Insect & Dis Leaflet 49Costanza et al. 2018, Forest Ecology and Management 423:3–17School of Forest ResourcesSlide 4Pine Bast Scale• Matsucoccus macrocicatricies• Related to red pine scale, but restricted to EWP• NativeCostanza et al. 2018, Forest Ecology and Management 423:3–17School of Forest ResourcesSlide 5Pine Bast Scale• Feeds at whorls of young stems• Associated with 2 fungi– Septobasium (E)– Caliciopsis (F)• Capable if killing branches (C), problem in Virginia• Probably involved in decline of stressed EWP standsLivingston et al. (2019), Maine Agr. For. Exp Stn MP764School of Forest ResourcesSlide 6• Found on 20 conifers including eastern white pine, Norway spruce, (Picea abies L.), Sitka spruce [P. sitchensis (Bong.) Carrière], and Engelmann spruce (P. engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.)• Adults overwinter in duff layer• Emerges in May-June, lays eggs at base of expanding candle of terminal whorl• Larvae feed on phloem, under the park, causing terminal shoot to wilt and die• Pupation and adult emergence in July• Adults feed on pine shoots until going to duff layer to over winterWhite pine weevil – Life Cycle and DamageSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 7• Killed terminal branch results in deformed stem• Worse in open locations• Katovich & Mielke, 1993– Weevil attacks cause the greatest damage in more northern locations• 42-100% of trees, starting a 3 ft high DamageSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 8• Katovich & Mielke, 1993: Weevils are almost non-existent in the southern part of the range of white pine.– One study:  40% of overstory in 15-24 old plantations show damage – My recent visit to plantations saw one damaged leader in 1 of 6 locations– WHY?Little Damage in Virginia and North CarolinaSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 9• Not genetic (provenance studies)• Winter mortality in duff layer– Predators (shrews) kill 13%– Prescribed fire?– Katovich & Mielke, 1993: Abiotic factors likely most important factors in winter mortality– ClimateLittle Damage in Virginia and North Carolina:Why?School of Forest ResourcesSlide 10Climate Differences between Maine and VA/NC White Pine RegionsAugusta, MEGalax, VASprucePine, NCSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 11LocationJuly high avgJanuary low avgAnnual precip. avgTotal Snow Accum.  Avg.Last spring frostFirst fall frostAugusta, ME 79 8 44 67 May 1 Oct 1Galax, VA 82 21 43 16 Apr 29 Oct 11Spruce Pine, NC81 22 53 13 Apr 29 Oct 11Climate Differences between Maine and VA/NC White Pine Regions• Warmer winters (not summers) and less snow in south• 1-2 weeks longer growing season in south• Increased winter mortality of white pine weevil?– More predation– More likely to starve with warmer temperaturesSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 12• Dendroctonus frontalis• Yellow pines – 2-3 needle pines– Southern pines– Outbreaks can kill trees worth billions of board feet in the south• Killing pitch pine on Long Island, NY, since 2014Southern Pine BeetleUSFS Insect & Dis Leaflet 49School of Forest ResourcesSlide 13• Ranges overlapEastern White Pine &Southern Pine Beetlehttps://usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=bf092f00e070454f963a7cd3792d45cfSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 14– EWP grows on Blue Ridge Plateau, above 2000-3500 ft– Not a preferred host for SPB– Near SPB infested pitch pine and Virginia pine – SPB can kill EWP near infested stands of yellow pines– Unprecedented SPB outbreak did occur in EWP during 1998-2002Eastern White Pine & Southern Pine BeetleSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 15• Based on information researched by Paul Merten, forest entomologist, USFS Forest Health Protection section, Asheville, NC• Usual SPB infested trees are near a SPB outbreak in yellow pines.• From 1998 to 2002 the pest destroyed $59.5 million worth of timber in North Carolina• SPB spreading in EWP stands during this outbreakEastern White Pine & Southern Pine BeetleSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 16• Population built up in neighboring yellow pine stands• White pine stands were stressed– Many plantations established 1960’s to 2000’s due to field abandonment–stands were 25-45 yr old– Planted on non-white pine sites– Not managed, BA exceeded 200 ft2/ac– Prolonged drought period• Outbreaks collapsed more rapidly than seen in yellow pine standsSouthern Pine Beetle Outbreak in Eastern White Pine 1998-2002Key FactorsSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 17• Proper site selection– Better rooting reduces drought risk– Less Ribes reduces WPBR risk• High density saplings under shelterwood– Reduce WPW and WPBR risk• Low density pole and sawtimber stands– Reduce risk of drought damage– Reduce risks to Caliciopsis, pine bast scale, bark beetle, and white pine needle damage• Produce high quality white pine timberEastern White Pine Health & SilvicultureSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 18• Winters:  – Warmer winters with less snow –• Less white pine weevil?• More southern pine beetle?• Summers: If temperatures and precipitation change little– Managed EWP stand should be OK– Dense stands and/or stands on off-stie remain vulnerable to damage and  mortality by:• Pine bast scale/Caliciopsis• Ips bark beetle (and southern pine beetle?)  • Summers:  If temperatures increase but precipitation stays the same ……Climate Change and Eastern White Pine Insect PestsSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 19• Balance between precipitation and evapotranspiration sets range limits for eastern white pine• Precipitation < evapotranspiration sets southern and western limits• In areas where increased summer temperatures/evapotranspiration approaches precipitation levels– EWP shuts down photosynthesis to avoid damaging transpiration losses– Tree growth and health weakens– More mortality due to bark beetlesEastern White Pine Needs Precipitation > EvapotranspirationSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 20• https://extension.unh.edu/natural-resources/forests-trees/woodlot-management/eastern-white-pine-management-institute• Expand existing knowledge on eastern white pine management• Make available trainings and resources to natural resource professionals • Next Symposium and Field Workshop, June 23-24, Concord, NHEastern White Pine Management InstituteSchool of Forest ResourcesSlide 21• North: Minimize weevil risks– High density in young ages– Regenerate under partial shade– Warmer winters may reduce risk• South and North:  Minimize drought related decline problems– Proper site selection– Use low stand densities as trees matureEastern White Pine and Insect Pests

Updates on Insect Pests of Eastern White Pine

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Updates on Insect Pests of Eastern White Pine

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