A pine whose needles fade to yellow and then red may have bark beetles working under the bark. Here is what forestry agencies say about the beetles found in the region, and when they recommend taking trees down.
Which pines get hit
The Southern Group of State Foresters, in a fact sheet published through the NC Forest Service, lists loblolly and shortleaf as southern pine beetle's preferred hosts. Longleaf pine is called tolerant of the beetle but still susceptible. The NC Forest Service credits longleaf with higher resistance to disease and insects generally, and notes it grows mainly on the drier Sandhills soils.
Five beetles, three groups
NC State Extension covers southern pine beetle, three Ips engraver species and the black turpentine beetle, and says they mainly attack pines already stressed by drought, disease or similar trouble.
- Southern pine beetle: pitch tubes in bark crevices, sometimes so high you need binoculars; S-shaped galleries that cross one another.
- Ips engravers: pitch tubes often on the bark plates; galleries shaped like an I, Y, X or H. Drought, crowded stands, storm or fire damage and lightning strikes set trees up for them.
- Black turpentine beetle: large pitch tubes on the lower 15 feet of trunk; wide, wandering galleries packed with reddish frass. Most often follows wounds from equipment, storms or fire.
Signs to look for
- Color change. Needles fade from green to light green, yellow and then red.
- Pitch tubes. Resin lumps about the size of popcorn stuck to the bark. Stressed trees may not make them.
- Sawdust. Pale boring dust at the base as secondary insects move in.
What the experts recommend
For a southern pine beetle spot, NC State Extension recommends cutting the infested trees plus a buffer of green trees, and calls cut-and-remove the most effective option. For Ips and black turpentine beetles, it says management is seldom warranted, though removing heavily infested or dead trees can cut the risk to the trees around them. The foresters' fact sheet adds that beetles can be active year-round in warm weather, usually emerging in early spring and staying active into late fall, and that outbreaks have historically come every seven to 10 years, often with drought.
For a diagnosis, the NC Forest Service can put you in touch with a forest health specialist. For the removal itself, see tree removal.
Where these facts come from
- Southern Group of State Foresters: Southern Pine Beetle (published through the NC Forest Service)
- NC State Extension: Pine Bark Beetles (Kelly Oten, August 4, 2022)
- NC Forest Service: Introduction to Longleaf Pine
Each link was opened and read on October 27, 2026. The city, PWC and the state revise these pages without notice, so give the original a look before relying on a figure.
Common questions
Does longleaf pine get pine beetles?
It can. The Southern Group of State Foresters describes longleaf as tolerant of southern pine beetle but still susceptible to attack; loblolly and shortleaf are the preferred hosts.
Should a beetle-killed pine come down?
For southern pine beetle, NC State Extension recommends cutting infested trees plus a buffer of green trees. For Ips and black turpentine beetles, removing heavily infested or dead trees can reduce risk to nearby pines.
Get a beetle-hit pine looked at
Phone the number or send the form. A contractor who takes tree jobs around Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Spring Lake, Raeford and Eastover follows up, and the quote costs you nothing.
Got the voicemail? Leave a name, a number we can reach, the house address and a word about the tree.