dead trees?????

[twoodward15]

On my drive to work there is a small section of trees that don't have any leaves on them yet.  They are all standing bare.  It is all in one area that couldn't be much more than about an acre or an acre and a half total.  There aren't any leaves on these trees at all.  Last year they were normal.  It almost looks like there are buds on them now and maybe they will get leaves.  Does anyone have any idea what this might be or what would cause it?  In that area of wood there are red and white oaks and locust mainly.  I look to identify more species tomorrow on my way in.

[breederman]

  Have you had the tent catipillars  down there?  We have quite a bit of defolliation in some spots around the county.

[Ron Wenrich]

Could also be a minor gypsy moth infestation.  I've been seeing more of that in my area.  The time is about right.

[SwampDonkey]

I was thinking it was bugs also.

A few years ago I saw a swath of forest about 100 yards long and 20 yards wide that everything had died in even shrubs and softwoods. It wasn't beaver flooded, however the site was not well drained. It would be what we'de call imperfectly drained. I assume it may have been an exceptionally wet season and the tree roots got drowned. But, it also included cedar and mountain maples that are not as easily stressed by high water table. It was not far from agricultural areas and near a spring where water gets drawn to fill resevoir tanks for spraying farm fields. I'm thinking something like 'Premerg' (which is now banned) got into the water and killed the roots.

[twoodward15]

Hmmm. Well today I drove by.......again..........  It looks like it's all red and white oak that is affected.  I can't see any caterpiller nests on any of them.  I'll keep an eye on them.

[Kevin]

New Jersey is getting hammered with gypsy moths right now.