What killing Japanese Black Pine tips

[namnhi]

I got a few of these on some of my JBPs. I suspect some kind of fungus but wanted to hear from some of the experts here. The tips have a moldy white color on them. Majority of them got killed off before they have a chance to extend. I don't believe the issue is cause by pine tip moth as I am quite familiar with that. I also don't think the white stuff is the sap from from an insect bite.
Please let me know what you think is the cause and how to resolve it.
Thanks
NN

 

[R0b]

I think this might be your problem

European Pine Shoot Moth (Rhyacionia buoliani)-Hort Answers - University of Illinois Extension

Only ever found one myself but it looked similar to your pictures.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

There are some pine blights in the US that can wreak havoc on trees.
Not sure if it's that though, I lost some needle pairs due to prolonged wetness of the soil.

The super resinous buds look like the ones that have a bud borer in them. Take one off and check for tunnels, if there's a little larval thing in there, it's bud borers.

 

[shohin_branches]

That looks like sap so likely pine shoot moth. If you want to clear the sap to investigate, spray the tree with a mixture of 2 parts rubbing alcohol one part water to get the sap back to a more liquid state and rinse off. I have a very sappy limber pine and I often have to use rubbing alcohol to clean up extra sap on the tree or my hands and tools.

If the white stuff is fluffy and not sticky then it could be mealybugs. I treat those with the rubbing alcohol spray too.

 

[bwaynef]

Pine tip borer moth. Its why sometime in late may or early june I always try to get a systemic insecticide into/on my JBP.

 

[Dav4]

Pine tip moth imo. Usually, you can confirm the culprit by visualizing the holes the larvae bore in the tip… just break or cut away the dead portion of the bud and look… every once in a while, the larvae are still there and you can exact revenge.

 

[namnhi]

Looks like the concensus is pine tip moth is the cause. I guess I will have to get my hands dirty and examine a few of them.
Thanks

 

[cmeg1]

My guess is some type of bud worm gets in there and sap runs out big time……they bore into them quickly….I have seen them before

 

[Srt8madness]

I've been losing tips on my JBP and Loblolly since Spring, almost posted but I figured it was blight. Noticed more today.

 

[namnhi]

I think blight as well because I have seen moth damage a few time before.

 

[R0b]

Opening a few will tell, it might even be both.

 

[Srt8madness]

Pine tip moth!!

 

[Srt8madness]

Thankfully mostly on my loblolly, but they did hit my JBP early spring. I suspect my more attractive loblollys kept them away from the JBP this summer.

@namnhi
Maybe the same for yours?

 

[Orion_metalhead]

What is best prevention for this?

 

[namnhi]

Your c

Thankfully mostly on my loblolly, but they did hit my JBP early spring. I suspect my more attractive loblollys kept them away from the JBP this summer.

@namnhi
Maybe the same for yours?

Your candles are much further along than mine. Most of mine are shriveled and died before you even see any needles. Pine tip moth is easy to fix than blight in a sense that you just need to physically remove them and the tree will be fine.
I will clean the dead tips and look for remedy for blight.

 

[Srt8madness]

Your c

Your candles are much further along than mine. Most of mine are shriveled and died before you even see any needles. Pine tip moth is easy to fix than blight in a sense that you just need to physically remove them and the tree will be fine.
I will clean the dead tips and look for remedy for blight.

Makes sense, sorry to hear man.

Do you normally do a fungicide treatment in Spring? I used Daconil this year.

 

[namnhi]

Makes sense, sorry to hear man.

Do you normally do a fungicide treatment in Spring? I used Daconil this year.

I did the Clergy granular in the Spring and that's about it. I haven't sprayed with anything this year. I'll keep my eyes on this and clean them up at decandle time, which should be in a couple of weeks. I will do it a bit earlier this year than in other years. It is better for them to have a little longer needles than too short.