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Beech Bark Disease

Symptoms

Beech bark disease is seen in association with beech bark scale. It can be recognised by identifying small areas of bark about a few centimetres in diameter, which die off. Where the bark has died off it begins to sink inwards, black tar exudations appear and the damage increases. The foliage may turn yellow, and then die.

Cycle of infection

This disease infects in mid to late winter and is spread by a sap feeding scale insect, about 1mm in length. The disease also infects through tree wounds.

Implications for host

Tiny red spots will appear on the infected areas of the bark about the size of a pinhead. A fruiting fungal body is an indication that the fungi is flourishing in the tree, meaning that it has achieved maximum control of the tree. The tree will now start to decline in vigour and can also be completely killed by the disease. This disease can make the tree snap off part of the way up the tree, which is not good for including bark ridge.

Treatments

The control of this disease is quite simple and severe as there is only one. This is to fell the infected tree to minimise the spread of infection and to minimise any chance of the tree snapping clean off, whilst in its weak state, resulting in damage or injury to people and property.

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