Sick spruce in Northumberland

[THE88MAN]

Just wondered if someone can fill me in,I know little about softwoods.drove through Northumberland Monday,vast areas of spruce look very brown,is it a disease?

[jules]

It's the same in Keswick. Looked at a few that are turning brown loosing needle quite quickly although the tops are very green with plenty on new growth. There was a spruce beetle around that caused this a good few years ago, it might of returned ?

[roseyweb]

Was in keilder the other week and thought the same

[shavey]

Yes we got a batch of Sitka on the estate with the beetle and it's confirmed and will be felled soon

[mike1987]

It's the same in Keswick. Looked at a few that are turning brown loosing needle quite quickly although the tops are very green with plenty on new growth. There was a spruce beetle around that caused this a good few years ago, it might of returned ?

 

I noticed the same around Keswick last week whole blocks of woodland going brown with the rest of the stand unaffected didn't drive close enough to see species or age/size e.c.t but it didn't look good from afar

[TRADITIONAL LOGGERS]

Looks like woodworm holes and much sap on main stem.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Looks like woodworm holes and much sap on main stem.

 

That's the beetle...

[TTS North]

It been around 30 years see

 

Dendroctonus micans service (Forest Research) or do a search on line.

 

They've released a crafty beetle to keep on top of it which now has its own breeding population.