VIII. Forest Insects

C.W. Berisford and G.K. Douce

Southern pine beetle occurred at epidemic levels in several portions of North Georgia during 1995. At least 15 counties suffered heavy damage. Losses were exacerbated by low salvage/sanitation rate due to relatively low numbers of producers to make salvage cuts and the lack of mills which were willing to receive "beetle wood". Most of the infestations were concentrated within the northern third of the state. However, isolated areas below the fall line had high populations, particularly Stewart and Chattachoochee counties in the west and Richmond country on the eastern border of the state.

Infestations of black turpentine beetles and Ips. Spp. beetles also increased in most locations where southern pine beetle populations were high. Ips. beetles often occupied a high proportion of trees within southern pine beetle infestations by late summer.

Pine tip moth infestations, particularly the Nantucket pine tip moth, required frequent insecticide applications for control in Christmas tree plantations. Populations in portions of the coastal plain collapsed in early summer, possibly due to a disease, but rebounded to epidemic levels in some stands by the end of the summer. Some commercial plantations of loblolly pine required chemical control for the final generation of the year. A few isolated high infestations of subtropical pine tip moth in young slash pine plantations were reported in the lower coastal plain..

Scale insects and aphids were locally abundant, particularly on Virginia pine Christmas trees which had been sprayed repeatedly for pine tip moth control.

Reproduction weevils caused some heavy mortality in newly established pine plantations, particularly in areas which had previous or current bark beetle infestations. Some stands which had been re-established shortly after harvest also suffered significant damage.

Localized heavy infestations of fall webworm in hickories, pecan and persimmon occurred throughout the state. Forest tent caterpillar defoliation was generally high in the major river drainage.

The second confirmed infestation of gypsy moth in Georgia was treated in an attempt to eradicate it in Fannin County. The initial infestation has apparently been eradicated by state and federal agencies. Multiple catches of male gypsy moths in Rockdale County indicate the possibility of an infestation. The Georgia Forestry Commission has increased surveillance efforts at that site.

Estimates of Losses and Control Costs

¹ Includes Nantucket pine tip moth, pitch pine tip moth, and subtropical pine tip moth.
² Includes carpenter ants, ambrosia beetles, lepidopterous oak borers, shothole borers and various other cerambycid, burprestid, and scolytid beetles.
³ Includes coneworms, seedworms, seed bugs, and cone beetles.
⁴ Ips avulsus, I. grandicollis, I. colligraphus and I. pini.
⁵ Pales weevil and pitcheating weevil.
⁶ Primarily aphids, scale insects, lace bugs, sawflies, and lepidopterous hardwood defoliators, including eastern tent caterpillar, forest tent caterpillar, fall webworm, oak skeletonizer, and various Anisota spp.
⁷ The Gypsy moth is not yet generally established in Georgia but at least one isolated infestation exists. Therefore, there are no damage estimates and only the cost of control is included.