What is eating my pine tree?

Have you ever wondered about the yellowish to pink masses oozing from the trunk of your pine trees? Chances are that you are unwillingly providing a home to Synanthedon sequoiae, the sequoia pitch moth larvae. These pests love to infest Northern Nevada's pine trees, particularly the Austrian Pine. Over its two-year life cycle, the pitch moth larva excavates and feeds on the tree; the tree's response to the invader is to produce a pitch mass of resin overlying the wound. Unfortunately the infestations are not only unsightly, but have killed several beautiful mature pines in our community. Click here to read more about the sequoia pitch moths and how to remove them from your trees.