05/28/2026
Fresh pitch tubes on a ponderosa pine— one of the classic signs of a mountain pine beetle attack.
These popcorn-like blobs are resin the tree pushes out in an attempt to defend itself by trapping or “pitching out” invading beetles. If the beetles overwhelm the tree’s defenses, they bore beneath the bark and disrupt the flow of water and nutrients.
In drought-stressed forests across the Southwest and Colorado, weakened ponderosas become especially vulnerable. Early detection matters: pitch tubes, boring dust at the base of the tree, fading crowns, and woodpecker activity can all be indicators of infestation.
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