Question
what kills pine beetles,,,,,,,,,,,i live in ala

Answer
Hi Kathy:
There are several types of beetles that can attack pine.  If you are referring to the tiny pine bark beetles, these are the types that produce the small holes (1-3mm diameter) in the bark that you can see.  These are the exit holes, not entrance holes.  It is my understanding that most of these beetles are most likely to attack trees that are already "stressed" rather than healthy trees. Not sure how they "recognize" a stressed or unhealthy tree to begin with, but they seem to "home into" these trees.  I am not aware of a way to keep these things out of your tree other than keeping it in good condition with proper fertilizer, water etc.to avoid stress conditions.  At one time, there were some insecticides that could be sprayed on the trunks to prevent the critters from getting in.  Unfortunately, the materials were only as good as the height you could spray the trunk up to.

Suggest that you contact your local county Cooperative Extension Service.  There is usually an office in the county seat courthouse.  They can usually come out and visit your tree and even provide you some free information about the beetles.  If you are unable to locate the office, let me know what county you live in and I can locate a phone number for you.  If you prefer, my personal email is [email protected]  Please make reference to your question to refresh my memory.

Regards
Steve