Porcupine and squirrel damage

Posted on by colleenrobinson
Porcupine damage on red pine trunk.

Porcupine damage to red pine.

Porcupines and squirrels damage trees by eating the bark. Sometimes they remove large areas of bark on branches as well as on the main stem. On sunny days the pale wood where the bark has been stripped off really stands out in the woods.

This type of feeding can remove enough bark to girdle the branches or the main stem, causing the tree to die from that point to the end of the branch. Branches that are not completely girdled will continue to grow and callus tissue will begin to grow over the wounds. If branches are nearly girdled, they may leaf out in the spring only to have the leaves suddenly wilt and die as hot weather hits because the tree can’t move enough water to keep the leaves alive. Continue reading “Porcupine and squirrel damage” →

Slime molds and yeasts are bright and slimy

Posted on by colleenrobinson

Several reports have recently come in of bright orange slime on trees or on mulch in Brown, Door and Shawano counties. Slime molds and yeasts can make bright colors, usually pink, orange, or yellow. Don’t panic – they don’t harm the tree. Often the orange, slimy areas on trees are associated with sapsucker wounds, where the tree has been bleeding sap on which microorganisms are growing. We see these most during the spring when the weather is moist, but once the weather warms the slime will dry up, leaving just a faint orange tinge to the tree where they were.

Sapsuckers wound trees and return to lick the sap that oozes from the wounds.

Sapsuckers wound trees and return to lick the sap that oozes from the wounds.

A stump is covered by orange slime. Slime molds and yeasts can be orange, pink, or yellow.

Slime molds and yeasts can be orange, pink, or yellow. Photo by: Gerald Vomastic

 

Written by: Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Green Bay, (Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov), 920-662-5172.

Phomopsis galls on northern red oak

Posted on by colleenrobinson
Phomopsis galls are woody, lumpy swellings on the branches and main stem of this northern red oak tree.

Northern red oak with many phomopsis galls on the branches and on the main stem.

Phomopsis galls are large, woody galls caused by a fungus and can be unsightly on the branches of trees (people often notice them in the winter when leaves are off). They occur in hickories, maples, oaks and a few other species. In northeastern Wisconsin, I find them most commonly on hickory, but in some areas northern red oaks can be heavily galled. Counties where I’ve seen these large galls on northern red oak include Oconto, Oneida, Shawano and Vilas. Continue reading “Phomopsis galls on northern red oak” →

Forest tent caterpillar update

Posted on by colleenrobinson
Forest tent caterpillars do not make web nests but may congregate and rest in groups on the bark.

Forest tent caterpillars do not make web nests but may congregate and rest in groups on the bark.

Caterpillars hatch from the eggs of a forest tent caterpillar egg mass.

Caterpillars hatch from the eggs of a forest tent caterpillar egg mass.

Forest tent caterpillars are hatching. Egg mass surveys were conducted in Iron, Ashland, Bayfield, Sawyer, Polk, Washburn, Douglas and Burnett counties, and no egg masses were observed. Surveys in Vilas, Oneida and Forest counties found very few egg masses.

Based on this information we expect low numbers and minimal defoliation again this year, but please let us know if you see forested areas with more significant defoliation.

Written by: Linda Williams, forest health specialist, Green Bay, (Linda.Williams@wisconsin.gov), 920-662-5172.

 

UW-Stevens Point students gain real world skills while helping communities

Posted on by Ellen Clark

In an attempt to find an avenue to get small communities in the fold of beginning, or better managing their community tree resources DNR Regional Urban Forestry (UF) Coordinator, Don Kissinger, resurrected memories of his college days when he and his classmates were given a computer simulation to react and manage a fictitious community forestry program. Through this attempt the collaboration with UW- Stevens Point Professor Rich Hauer and his senior level Urban Forestry Lab class began.

Continue reading “UW-Stevens Point students gain real world skills while helping communities” →