Pine – Fighting Bark Beetle

Q: Is there anything I can do to stop or delay the onset of a pine bark beetle attack?

A: The best defense is to help the trees fight their own fights. To that end, keep the trees watered in summer. Pines can effectively thwart borer invasions by drowning them with sap. If the soil is dry, though, the tree has no “ammunition”. No homeowner insecticide sprays are effective.