Mountain Pine Beetles & Control Services

A Touch Of Class Tree Service, Denver Colorado

Mountain pine beetles (MPB) are synonymous with devastating tree damage. Once a tree is infested with MPB, there’s not a whole lot that our experts at A Touch of Class Tree Service can do to save it. In fact, that’s why Colorado’s recent outbreaks have destroyed thousands of trees each year.

We can, however, help you with controlling mountain pine beetles by keeping your pines healthy.

That’s because mountain pine beetles are more prone to attack trees that are stressed – ones that have been topped, injured, even trimmed improperly. They may be suffering from drought, disease or have root damage. Even an old, dying pine tree can attract MPB, putting younger trees in jeopardy.

If you have ponderosa, lodgepole, Scotch, limber, bristlecone or pinyon pine trees on your property, get in touch right away for help fending off mountain pine beetles. Through proper care and maintenance, we can help protect your trees from MPB damage. Our tree technicians will:

  • Trim out thin stands and address other potential issues that attract MPB
  • Evaluate the health of your pines and remove dying or susceptible trees
  • As a preventative, apply spray to green trees that have not been infested
  • Discuss removing trees to ensure your pines are healthy and well-spaced
Large grove of trees

To schedule services for mountain pine beetles, call A Touch of Class Tree Service today or complete an estimate form.

Signs & Symptoms of Mountain Pine Beetles

Even after taking all the precautions possible, you’re not out of the woods. A massive infestation at a neighboring property or nearby park could still spread to your healthy trees. You’ll want to look for:

  • Resin masses on the trunk where mountain pine beetles are tunneling. These are shaped like popcorn and may be brown, white or pink in color.
  • Signs of woodpeckers – they will tear off tree bark to access and feed on MPB. Look for stripped patches and bark debris on the ground below your tree.
  • The entire tree crown, basically the body of your pine tree and all foliage, will turn yellowish or reddish. This typically happens months into an attack.
  • If you have a strong suspicion, you can use a hatchet to carefully remove the bark and look for mountain pine beetle eggs, larvae and adults.
  • Once a tree has been cut down, a final confirmation can be found by looking at the tree’s cut trunk where a certain point in its circumference will be stained blue.

For short-term control of mountain pine beetles, A Touch of Class Tree Service might spray, cover, burn or peel attacked trees to kill the bugs. We will discuss all options and help you choose the best avenue for dealing with an MPB attack.