The bark at the base of the blighted twig takes on a water-soaked appearance, then looks dark, sunken, and dry. The white spots might be lichen which can sometimes appear on ailing trees, but in and of itself does not damage the tree. Bark disease: Circular to horizontal elliptic cankers form on the bark. I have at least 5 trees with white patches on the branches and trunk bark of the tree. Infected leaves develop spots, then turn yellow or brown and drop off the tree. A white, fuzzy coating on the tree's trunk and branches is a sign of the scale insect. Each year the white patches are worse and on my sugar maple the white patches have spread to the top of the tree and now tips of branches. Beech bark disease on American beech tree (fagus grandifolia) in the area of Potash Mountain in the White Mountains, NH USA Landscape with a dead tree fallen to the ground. caused by a combination of damage to the bark and vascular tissue by the beech scale insect (Cryptococcus fagisuga), followed by infection with several fungal species (Neonectria faginata, Neonectria ditissima, and Bionectria ochroleuca). As large areas of bark are affected, the tree is girdled and killed. White wooly specks observed on the bark in August are wooly beech scales. Firstly, using their sucking mouthparts, scales pierce the bark of the tree to suck out the sap. Photo by Linda Haugen, USDA FS, Bugwood.org. When "scales" (an insect) begin to live on the bark there are scattered woolly spots on the tree trunk. Went to look / quote a beech tree today to dead wood its quite a big tree and noticed that its got a load of white spots all over the bark about 1/2 way up the main trunk. Look for beech trees covered in white wool. Any ideas what the white spots ⦠When these minute aphids feed on the inner bark of the tree, they secrete a waxy, thread-like substance from their abdomen for protection. Beech bark disease (BBD) is a devastating disease of American beech (Fagus grandifolia Ehrl.) Beech bark disease is a newer threat affecting beech trees (Fagus grandifolia), and itâs brought about by native nectria fungus pairing up with the invasive European beech scale insect. Report suspect trees to the local DNR office or to DNR forest health staff. Sometimes observers notice white patches on the trees, which are actually lichens. After the scales reproduce, the entire trunk of the tree may be covered in white ⦠... emerald ash borers (EAB) invade and kill all types of ash trees, Fraxinus species. They also have sections on their trunks where the tree has swollen too fast for bark to grow plus areas of black bark. From a distance these secretions appear as white dots covering the tree. Closeup (macro ... Graffiti carved into the bark of a beech tree beside Wayland's Smithy Neolithic long barrow beside the Ridgeway long distance path in Oxfordshire. Beech scales on bark. Cracks form in the cankered bark. This produces small wounds and weakens the tree. Detected in the mid-20th-century in New York State, if your landscape includes American beech trees this is a disease you should understand. Other things may be mistaken as beech bark disease, but are actually other agents that are usually not as disastrous. Had a look around the base and were possible from the ground couldnt see any fungus growths. Beech bark disease (BBD) Symptoms: The symptoms of this disease are concentrated on the bark. These white spots are caused by White Pine Adelgids, Pineus strobi. The problem starts when beech scale feeds on your tree. 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