Hi,
I am emailing from Houston, TX. Recently my neighbor discovered
hundreds of caterpillar like insect larvae on his pine tree. They are
about 1/2 inch in length, yellow-ish with black dots on their back.
There seem to be a few leg-like structures near the head. I did my
google search and am leaning towards 'pine sawfly larvae' as the
closest match.
The tree is deteriorating. It's losing its needles, and some branches
are completely free of needles. He treated the tree with a spray
insecticide yesterday (sorry, don't know which one).
My questions, is it likely to observe pine sawfly larvae in November
in Southern Texas? I am afraid I miss-identified the problem. Is there
anything else we can do, in particular to prevent the spreading of the
insect from one tree to the next (which, in this case, would be
mine....).
Thanks,
Tim.

On Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:11:40 -0000, wrote:
My questions, is it likely to observe pine sawfly larvae in November
in Southern Texas? I am afraid I miss-identified the problem. Is there
anything else we can do, in particular to prevent the spreading of the
insect from one tree to the next (which, in this case, would be

Can't help you directly, but Texas has an *excellent* extension service.
Submit a sample of the larvae for id. Talk to Harris Co. Extension to find
out how:
http://harris-tx.tamu.edu/
http://insects.tamu.edu/extension/

wrote:
Hi,
I am emailing from Houston, TX. Recently my neighbor discovered
hundreds of caterpillar like insect larvae on his pine tree. They are
about 1/2 inch in length, yellow-ish with black dots on their back.
There seem to be a few leg-like structures near the head. I did my
google search and am leaning towards 'pine sawfly larvae' as the
closest match.
The tree is deteriorating. It's losing its needles, and some branches
are completely free of needles. He treated the tree with a spray
insecticide yesterday (sorry, don't know which one).
My questions, is it likely to observe pine sawfly larvae in November
in Southern Texas? I am afraid I miss-identified the problem. Is there
anything else we can do, in particular to prevent the spreading of the
insect from one tree to the next (which, in this case, would be
mine....).
Thanks,
Tim.

Pine sawfly for sure. Four or five generations of this sawfly may occur
each year. Adult females begin to lay eggs in slits cut in the needles
during late March. The eggs hatch in 10-21 days, and the larvae feed
for about five weeks. When mature the larvae usually crawl to the
ground and spin a cocoon in the loose litter at the base of the tree.
The peak adult emergence occurs in late summer. Larvae from this late
summer generation are responsible for most of the damage which, although
never directly responsible for mortality, may predispose the trees to
attack by other insects.

Natural control factors generally bring outbreak populations under
control after one season. As noted, sanitation under the stems through
out the summer will reduce or destroy the population.

If they are caterpillers BT will get them and it is safe to use.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley





http://community.webtv.net/MelKelly/TheKids

The tree is deteriorating. It's losing its needles, and some branches
are completely free of needles.

That's common and natural on a maturing pine tree. Pines in our area have
been shedding needles for over a month. That's not a problem. As trees
mature such as pines, often, some branches cannot manufacture enough food
for the branch and the branch becomes symplastless, sheds its needles and is
then shed. Shedding woody and non-woody parts is common and good for the
survival of the tree. Very common and natural. We do not spray anything on
the pines we care for.

--
Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

Also just because an organism injures a tree does not mean the organism is
bad and requires to be killed. E.g,
http://www.treedictionary.com/DICT20...-cavities.html


--
Sincerely,
John A. Keslick, Jr.
Consulting Arborist
http://home.ccil.org/~treeman
and www.treedictionary.com
Beware of so-called tree experts who do not understand tree biology.
Storms, fires, floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions keep reminding us
that we are not the boss.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Hi,
I am emailing from Houston, TX. Recently my neighbor discovered
hundreds of caterpillar like insect larvae on his pine tree. They are
about 1/2 inch in length, yellow-ish with black dots on their back.
There seem to be a few leg-like structures near the head. I did my
google search and am leaning towards 'pine sawfly larvae' as the
closest match.
The tree is deteriorating. It's losing its needles, and some branches
are completely free of needles. He treated the tree with a spray
insecticide yesterday (sorry, don't know which one).
My questions, is it likely to observe pine sawfly larvae in November
in Southern Texas? I am afraid I miss-identified the problem. Is there
anything else we can do, in particular to prevent the spreading of the
insect from one tree to the next (which, in this case, would be
mine....).
Thanks,
Tim.

D. Staples wrote:



Natural control factors generally bring outbreak populations under
control after one season. As noted, sanitation under the stems through
out the summer will reduce or destroy the population.

What does that mean, sanitation under the stems? Keep clear of pine
needles under the tree?

Kate

kate wrote:
D. Staples wrote:



Natural control factors generally bring outbreak populations under
control after one season. As noted, sanitation under the stems through
out the summer will reduce or destroy the population.

What does that mean, sanitation under the stems? Keep clear of pine
needles under the tree?

Kate
They pupate in the debris under the tree they were in, clean up the
debris, or if your into nasty garden chemicals poison the debris, and
it can reduce the populations from generation to generation.