Q: What is this stuff that looks like snow on my pine tree in Decatur in mid-summer? Should I do something about it? It looks fluffy and is sticky. When you pull some off it can be rolled up in a small ball like cotton candy.

A: It’s wooly pine scale. Although it is quite noticeable on your tree, you probably won’t see it spread to nearby pines.

You may see black surfaces nearby when they are covered by the sticky honeydew that scale insects produce.

There’s no need to do anything about it. Natural predators will control the insects handily.

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