Branch or Terminal

From Bugwoodwiki

Hagle, S.K; S. Tunnock; K.E. Gibson; and C.J. Gilligan. 1987. Field Guide to Diseases and Insect Pests of Idaho and Montana Forests. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. State and Private Forestry, Northern Region. Missoula, Montana. Reprint 1990. Publication Number R1-89-54.

1 Witches broom formed --- 2

1’ No witches broom --- 6

2 Needles remaining green --- 3

2’ Needles yellow, tan or brown; on true firs, spruce or ponderosa pine --- 4

3 On pines, Douglas-fir, white or red fir, or western larch --- Dwarf Mistletoes

3 On junipers, clumps of mistletoe plants in branches appear similar to witches brooms --- Juniper Mistletoe

4 On ponderosa or Jeffrey pines; occasional on lodgepole or piñon pines --- Elytroderma Needle Cast

4’ On true firs or spruces --- 5

5 On true firs --- Fir Broom Rust

5’ On Englemann spruce --- Spruce Broom Rust

6 Soft-bodied, wingless insects often on succulent tissue of shoots; may also be on foliage, stems and roots; usually feed in groups; often associated with ants --- Aphids

6’ Not as above --- 7

7 On branches or terminal 1 or more years old --- 8

7’ On current year’s shoots --- 16

8 Globose swelling on branch, nodes or buds --- 9

8’ No swelling, or not globose swelling; yellow to orange spores sometimes present --- 10

9 On ponderosa or lodgepole pine; globose swelling, yellow to orange spores may be present --- Western Gall Rust

9’ On True firs only; outer branch nodes and terminal buds swollen, growth stunted or stopped, red needles on dead branches, spots of white "waxy wool" on bark --- Balsam Woolly Adelgid

10 On true firs, Douglas-fir, or spruces; branch dead, often with slight swelling between dead and live tissue --- Fir and Spruce Cankers

10’ On other species, or not as described above --- 11

11 On larch; sunken or discolored portion of bark or dead branch or terminal tip; distinct line between live and dead cambium at margin of sunken area --- Lachnellula Canker

11’ On pines; somewhat swollen, roughened area on branch; yellow to orange spores may be present in spring --- 12

12 On Jeffrey pine --- Peridermium Limb Rust

12’ On 5-needled pines (western white, sugar, whitebark, limber) --- White Pine Blister Rust

12’’ On other species --- 13

13 On lodgepole pine --- Comandra Blister Rust or Stalactiform Blister Rust

13 On ponderosa pine --- 14

14 Canker on stem of sapling or larger tree --- Comandra Blister Rust or Stalactiform Blister Rust

14’ Damage restricted to small trees or branches of large trees --- 15

15 Flagged (red-brown), wilted or stunted tips of current year’s growth also present in tree --- Pine Shoot Blight

15’ Utah, Nevada or California; Only year-old or older branches killed --- Comandra Blister Rust or Peridermium Limb Rust

16 On western larch --- 17

16’ On other species --- 18

17 Shoots wilted or withered, needles on older spurs red-brown or gray and drooping --- Hypodermella Blight

17’ Shoots severed and abundant budworm defoliation evident in stand (new needles webbed and chewed) --- Western Spruce Budworm

18 On ponderosa or Jeffrey pine; branch tips dead or wilted,or needles at tip stunted and dead; needles not webbed --- 19

18 On other species or entire terminal stunted but not killed --- 21

19 Dead branch tips mined in pith --- Pine Tip Moths

19’ On ponderosa, pith of branches not mined --- 20

20 Dead branch tips crooked or curled downward; resinous "gouts" on bark on top of crook; red maggots sometimes visible in pitch pockets under bark; usually seen in saplings --- Gouty Pitch Midge

20’ Dead branch with stunted needles at tip; resin drops often present at base of needles; tiny black fruiting bodies often visible on bark of dead twigs or cone scales in spring; common in all sizes of trees --- Pine Shoot Blight

21 On lodgepole pine; needles killed on tip only of new shoot; needles not webbed; shoots wilted or crooked (curled down); resinous gouts on bark on top of crook; red maggots sometimes visible in pitch pockets under bark --- Gouty Pitch Midge

21’ Not as above --- 22

22 Evidence of insect mining (tunnels) under bark, in wood or in pith of killed or stunted terminals or branch tips --- 23

22’ No evidence of mining --- 25

23 On spruce or lodgepole pines 1-30 feet in height; mainly terminal shoots; tunnels under bark of shoot and in wood --- Terminal Weevils

23’ On other species --- 24

24 On ponderosa or Jeffrey pine; tunnels in pith packed with brown frass, terminal shoot usually stunted. Terminal and lateral shoots can be killed; restricted to new growth; usually in trees less than 15 feet tall --- Western PineShoot Borer

24’ On junipers; Branch tips chlorotic or dead; tunnels under bark or in pith of damaged shoots --- Juniper Twig Pruner

25 Branches and terminals at top of small trees killed above the snow pack level. Clusters of trees or trees scattered over a large area damaged simultaneously. Often most severe on south side of trees --- Winter Desiccation

25’ Not as above --- Foliage Key