Q: I had some pines cut down because they had pine beetles. Should the tree be sprayed with insecticide? Is it safe to use the shredded limbs and chips as mulch?

A: The infested pine tree trunks should be removed from your property. If they are left on the ground, some of the beetles will continue to hatch and may attack other trees in your yard. Spraying an insecticide does not guarantee that all of the beetles will be killed. On the other hand, the shredded chips are safe to use. Pine beetles prefer feeding on the trunk, not on limbs. Even if some beetles are under the limb bark, the chipper machine will make short work of them.

Southern Pine Beetle