Q: I have a young pecan tree. Over the last week we have found small limbs on the ground and the cut ends look like being chewed by a beaver.

A: You have an infestation of hickory twig girdler. This beetle attacks pecan, hickory and oak trees in fall. The female beetle lays eggs in small branches and then chews almost through the twig. A strong breeze breaks off the twig and the protected eggs fall to the ground, where they develop under the bark. The easiest way to control this insect is to pick up and destroy the branches when found.

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Twig Girdler and Twig Pruner