Pine Bark Beetle treatment - tree insecticide injection system

Crosby Arborist is your ultimate solution for Pine Bark Beetles. Our proprietary system for tree trunk injection is like no other. The Drill, Plug, Inject method is far more effective than any other method available. Serving all of Houston including Huffman, Atascocita, Kingwood, The Woodlands, Spring, Conroe, Humble, Summerwood, The Heights, Katy, Richmond, Alvin, Pearland, Baytown, Channelview, Highlands, and Mont Belvieu we have seen the results of our technique and they are wildly successful! 

​What is Pine BArk Beetle?

The Pine Bark Beetle is an insect that attacks pine trees. They are attracted to trees in distress or drought stressed trees. The Pine Bark Beetle is about the size of a grain of rice and bores a hole through the bark and into the Phloem, Cambium and Xylem layers of the Pine tree. These layers are the vascular layers of the tree much like our veins and arteries. Although small, the Pine Bark Beetle attacks the tree in large numbers so that the number of bore holes in the tree reaches the thousands. In a short period of time the vascular layer of the tree is interrupted to the extent that nutrients are no longer able to make it to the tree foliage and the tree dies. This process takes as little as 14 days from the time of entry. By the time you notice the infestation, it may have already been 10 days or more.

What does Crosby Arborist do?

A small plug, called the Arborplug™, is placed in a drilled hole in the tree. A needle inserts through the Arborplug™ and a formula is injected. The formula is quickly distributed through the trunk, branches and leaves. The Arborplug™ keeps the injected formula inside the tree, protects it, and stays inside the tree with no negative reactions. In time, the tree grows right over the Arborplug.

What are the benefits of this method?

​No mess is left behind. No chemicals are left in the soil or in the air so it is safe for your pets and children. The results are effective and are supported by university trials. Long-term treatment and prevention benefits your trees for about two years! Safe to use around lakes, rivers, streams, and federal/state land.

What methods do not work?

​Spraying the trees does not work. Spraying trees are effective only for insects that will actually come in contact with the insecticide. Pine bark beetles are deep inside the tree and will not be stopped by external remedies. Spraying also will kill many beneficial insects such as butterflies, ladybugs, and honey bees. Spraying is not legal near waterways and is generally messy. Spraying requires large amounts of solution and sprayed with insecticides will usually wash off in the rain. 

What does it cost?

​Application cost is based on the products used, the tree trunk diameter, and labor for application.
​ Contact Crosby Arborist for an Arborist consultation and we will prepare an estimate for you!

281-803-8026

​We advise homeowners to take preventive measures rather than stop at identifying the causes and effects of a pine bark beetle attack.

“Prevention is the best cure” may sound silly, but when it comes to pine bark beetles, preventing the problem before it can arise is much more preferable than dealing with it after it is out of control. There are a few precautions that you can take to prevent the beetles from entering and infesting your trees. 

• Know the facts and act diligently before the peak season for the beetle begins which is from March to October.
• Keep an eye out for needles turning a rusty red color or needles that are browning. 
• When a pine tree begins to stress, it often times will produce more pine cones as a built in safety mechanism.
• If fuzzy looking sawdust appears at the base of the tree you must call us immediately!
• When "pitch tubes" appear, (they look like small crawfish mounds) protruding from the bark and they are no bigger around than your pinky finger with a hole in the center about the size of a grain of rice. It may be too late to save the tree so at this point so call Crosby Arborist for removal immediately.
• Once the bark begins to fall from the tree it is probably too late, but we have saved trees from this point before. Your other trees can be protected if you act now by calling Crosby Arborist! 281-803-8026