Spruce Diseases

[Blue Sky]

In Western Mass currently there is a disease that is devastating the spruce trees, especially around peoples homes.  Does anyone know what this might be?  The needles start thinning out, thenbranches completely die, starting from the bottom and going up.  Eventually the tree completely stops functioning and dies quickly

[Deadwood]

Sounds like a bark beetle of some sort. A lot of people around here are quick to ask if its Spruce Budworm that is killing their spruce, but that pest has all but been eradicated... its most like a bark beetle. That is what's been killing my Hackmatack Plantation anyway as told to me by the Maine Forest Service Forest Pathologist anyway.

[SwampDonkey]

Spruce Beetle

Spruce Needle rust

Tomentosus Root disease

Cyrospora Canker

Sirococcus shoot blight

Field Guide to Tree Diseases of Ontario

[Ron Scott]

Contact your local Extension Service for a more reliable local ID of the cause.

[SwampDonkey]

Could be white pine weevil killing the leader and could be spruce bud moth killing the branch tips. I just discovered white pine weevil in some spruce on my land. Very sparce, not epidemic.

[Ron Scott]

RE:  DNR NEWS RELEASE

Widespread spruce budworm defoliation expected in Upper Peninsula, northern Lower Peninsula

White spruce and balsam fir targeted; now is the time to protect landscape trees from damage

Over the past few years, white spruce and balsam fir have been defoliated by the spruce budworm, one of the most destructive native insects in the northern spruce and fir forests of the eastern United States and Canada.

"This year, budworm defoliation is widespread and expected to be heavy for the second or third years in many areas," said Bob Heyd, forest health specialist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in Marquette.

Periodic outbreaks of these insects are a part of the natural cycle of events associated with the maturing of balsam fir and white spruce.

Spruce budworms overwinter as tiny caterpillars which disperse by dropping from treetops on webs. As new tree growth expands in the spring, the caterpillars grow and feed on new shoots. Budworms produce one generation each year.

Repeated budworm defoliation can cause top-kill and tree mortality in older and stressed trees. Balsam fir older than 60 and spruce over 70 years old provide prime infestation opportunities.

Younger trees infested with spruce budworms lose much of their new growth, but generally survive.

Balsam fir is most severely damaged by budworms. White and black spruces are also budworm hosts with some feeding occurring on tamarack, pine and hemlock trees. Spruce trees in stands with balsam fir are more likely to suffer budworm damage than spruce in pure stands ­ although all older, mature to over-mature stands are at higher risk of budworm infestation.

Heyd said this is the time of year to combat spruce budworms.

"Check your trees for signs of budworm activity," he added. "Most of the damage is done between now and late June when the budworms pupate and are done feeding for the year."

To protect landscape trees, Heyd recommends treating trees now before caterpillars grow larger.

The DNR recommends keeping the following in mind prior to treating trees:
Biological sprays with "Bt" or garden-variety insecticides are effective.
Follow label directions when selecting and applying a spray.
Be sure to reach the top of the trees where defoliation is heaviest.
Treatment with biological sprays may need to be repeated if heavy rains occur within a few days.
Watering trees during dry periods helps trees recover from the stress of early season budworm defoliation.
Since 1909, there have been waves of spruce budworm outbreaks throughout the eastern United States and Canada. These outbreaks last for 10-15 years and have resulted in the loss of millions of cords of spruce and fir.

"If the budworm outbreak continues to expand into Michigan's spruce and fir resource, we can expect significant losses over the next decade," Heyd said.

For more information on forest health issues, visit: www.michigan.gov/foresthealth.

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, I've been seeing some budworm up around Saulte, MI since 2012

They are probably spraying for it here this year in New Brunswick forests. Hasn't bothered us much for 20 years.

[chet]

The Budworm problem is bad here in the western UP. It's been really hard on my White Spruce for three consecutive years now. It's looking like I'm going to loose a lot of trees.  :'(

[CJennings]

I'm surprised black and red spruce haven't been planted more instead of relying on the white spruce. Less problematic with the budworm.

[beenthere]

CJ
Do black and red spruce grow as well as white, and grow equal quality wood?

[SwampDonkey]

The wood is more desireable from red and black spruces. The trees grow slower, the wood is stronger and more pulp recovered. You often see the label eastern spruces in wood tech books, but if your a certain mill there are certain traits that separate the species. For instance, when the local mill was producing I beams they wanted only black spruce. White spruce wouldn't perform the same, too high a ring count. Most plantations are black spruce here and most natural regen of spruce on public land here in New Brunswick is red spruce or black. Budworm is more of a problem in balsam fir. Fir is everywhere here like weeds. But red and black spruces are also attacked by budworm. The article mentioned white spruce because it's planted as ornamentals in yards more so than red spruce or black. Don't think your red spruce are safe. White grows twice as fast, kind of like balsam fir in growth rate. The thing is climate plays a role to. Spruce is more spotty, scattered or on mountain tops to the south. Here in the north it's more continual along the landscape. Fir in most areas is old at 60 years and some places it naturally dies by that age, in others it lives for 90 years. Fr is so shade tolerant that one being suppressed for 50 years could be only 6 feet tall and develop an umbrella crown and but rot. Those, even after release are the most susceptible, and the woods are full of them. Because it's not economical to knock that junk down, because a lot of it can't be marketed, it's left to stand for budworm nursuries. They might get 8-10" and die from old age anyway. On woodlots we see a lot of white spruce with the same umbrella crown left behind after the good logs are cut out on old pasture or abandoned farm land that grew up. Great farm land colonizer around here. Often called cow shade or pasture spruce, most of the first ones to colonize a field are open grown and develop huge knots that mills don't want at all and often red rot throughout. More budworm nurseries. Some of our practices (or non practices) in the woods aren't in the best interest of forest health. ;)