Question
QUESTION: Greetings from Western Australia.
I understand that you are an authority on Pine Trees.
I am hoping you know about Hylotrupes bajulus. In Australia we call it, European House Borer.
I am looking for some research and information to assist our small community.

In the hills not far from Perth City in Western Australia there is an infestation of the pest.
The local authority in Perth wishes to eradicate the pest by completely destroying all of the pine trees within a 1000 square kilometre area. Probably around 2-5 million trees.

My small village has a approximately 25 pine trees in excess of 100 years old which are part of our local history. The local village desperately wish to keep these trees. If they are removed it will completely change the appearance of the village and we will lose an important part of our local heritage.

To your knowledge, or is there any research that we can present to the local authority that may persuade them that these trees can be managed rather than destroyed.

The local authority say that pruning the dead branches still leaves suseptible dead areas that the pest can attack and so the trees must be destroyed.
Is this true, or can the trees be saved from destruction.
Hope you can help


ANSWER: There seems to be  mis- information on European House Borer. The literature states that the "timber" should be treated before it is use in building structures. Timber here means the cut wood not the standing trees. The Borer can enter the dead branches of a standing tree but causes no problem with nearby houses. IF the wood from a infested tree is used then if it is not treated the borer can get into the houses. Borers enter where there is untreated wood or wood not painted. The cutting of all the trees around an area will not insure that the borers will not be shipped into the area in wood products used in construction. It would be like killing all dogs around a town to keep out fleas and not treating new pets as they were brought in. The effort should be in treating the lumber and not the trees.

Here are few references: All deal with the wood from the pines (pinewood) not the standing live trees.

http://www.mandurah.wa.gov.au/minutes/forms/building/38_european_house_borer.pdf

http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/legis/wa/consol_reg/aarrphbr2006770.txt/cgi-bin/dow



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thankyou for your very prompt reply.
The matter is becoming urgent.
I need to be more specific regarding our village's problem.
The concern of the State Government Department for Agriculture (the Authority dealing with this matter) is that the newly discovered (2004) pest in the Perth pine trees is a major threat to untreated timber used in houses and furniture (already built), and to other pine plantations not far away, now and into the future.
Their answer to the problem is to destroy all trees (approx 2-5 million). A solution they believe will eradicate the pest. (ie A one size fits all solution and in our opinion a sledge hammer approach).
I am sure that the Authority does not want to set any new precedents such as the management of certain trees, and that is part of our challenge.
Our village's wish is to keep the 25 old pine trees (which is only 0.0003% of all the trees involved in this total destruction).
With all that in mind, can these trees be saved with proper maintenance?
MAIN ISSUE: .... is that we need is solid evidence that there is an alternative method of dealing with the local trees (in our village) as opposed to destroying them. We need to be able to convince the local Authority that saving these trees is possible and practical.
We are becoming rather desperate.
I look forward to your answer.

ANSWER: This is NOT a problem with standing live pine trees but is a problem with the wood cut from pine and other conifers. Standing live pine trees could be sprayed with insecticides to treat any beetle in the bark or wood but this will be costly and I am not sure what insecticides are available there. Here is a web link to the organization that is handling the problem there. They have a toll free number. To find out more or to report suspected sightings of the pest, call their Free call Hotline on 1-800-084-881

I would suggest you call them and get your local village folks together with them so all can be educated on this insect.

http://www.ehb.wa.gov.au/index.htm


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Once again, thanks for your very prompt reply. You are being very patient with me.
I think that we are getting closer to the mark.
Unfortunately the ehb website belongs to the Govt Dept we are fighting. However we are trying that avenue as well.

Question: If the dead stubs are cut cleanly back close to the collar do you simply spray the cut area to protect the tree from infestation, or do you have to spray widely?
Also are there other ways such as "painting" with a permanent substance to protect the cut surface?
This is all in an attempt to manage the trees.
I look forward to your reply.

Answer
Generally spraying the stubs after they are cut back will work. But since you are talking about 25 trees I would spray the trunks of these trees to make sure and this may also satisfy the local politicians. Since these are large trees you will more than likely need to use some kind of lift to reach the upper trunk. The spray needs to be a low pressure spray and just wet the trunk until the solution runs down the trunk. Painting the stubs with a pruning paint will not be as effective as the insecticide spray.