Nashville homeowners with pines have probably heard of the southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis). It’s the one that makes headlines and kills pines acre by acre as outbreaks spread.
But it’s not the only bark beetle with a taste for Middle Tennessee pines. Ips engraver beetles and black turpentine beetles are also a problem. But fortunately, they tend to focus on stressed or weakened pines, taking them out one tree — or a few trees — at a time.
Neither typically causes the kind of widespread outbreaks associated with the southern pine beetle. Both are opportunists, waiting for a tree to weaken before they strike. That distinction matters because it changes what homeowners can actually do about them.
Ips and Black Turpentine Beetles: Native Tennessee Pine Pests
Ips engraver beetles and black turpentine beetles aren’t invaders. Both are native to North America and naturally occur in southern pine forests.
Three Ips species are found in Tennessee: Ips avulsus, Ips calligraphus, and Ips grandicollis.
These bark beetles typically colonize stressed, damaged, dying, or recently cut pines rather than acting as primary attackers of healthy trees. Black turpentine beetles (Dendroctonus terebrans) are also considered secondary pests, typically attacking pines that are already weakened.
That opportunistic behavior sets both pests apart from the southern pine beetle, which can produce expanding outbreaks and attack otherwise healthy pines.
However, while Ips and black turpentine beetles may be less aggressive, they can still cause serious damage or kill individual trees and small groups of pines under the right conditions.
Which Middle Tennessee Pine Trees Are Most at Risk?
Tennessee’s three Ips species and the black turpentine beetle can attack any pine species in the state, though some are more common targets than others.
That puts familiar Middle Tennessee pines such as the loblolly pine (Pinus taeda), shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata), Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana), and eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) at risk.
But a tree’s species isn’t necessarily the best predictor of trouble. The greater concern is a pine’s condition: trees that are already stressed, damaged, or declining are particularly vulnerable.
Several conditions can increase that vulnerability:
- Drought Stress: Prolonged water stress can weaken a pine’s natural defenses against bark beetles.
- Storm or Mechanical Damage: Lightning strikes, broken branches, construction injuries, and other damage can leave pines more vulnerable.
- Overcrowding: Pines competing for limited water and resources may be less resilient when drought or other stressors occur.
- Fresh Pine Material: Recently cut logs, limbs, and other pine debris can provide breeding material for Ips beetles and contribute to growing populations.
- Existing Decline: Pines already weakened by disease, root damage, or other problems may be more susceptible to attack.
How Do Ips and Black Turpentine Beetles Attack Pine Trees?
Both beetles tunnel beneath a pine’s bark, but they don’t attack in quite the same way.
Ips engraver beetles typically attack different portions of the trunk and branches depending on the species. Once beneath the bark, adults excavate galleries where they lay their eggs.
The developing larvae create additional tunnels as they feed on the phloem, the living tissue just beneath the bark that helps transport sugars through the tree.
Black turpentine beetles tend to concentrate their attacks much lower on the trunk, often within several feet of the ground. They bore through the bark, where females create galleries in the inner bark and lay their eggs.
After hatching, the larvae feed and move outward, making broad, fan-shaped galleries.
Those differences matter when you’re trying to identify what’s attacking a pine.
Damage concentrated near the base is characteristic of black turpentine beetles, while the location of Ips attacks can vary by species. Where the damage appears is one clue an arborist can use to determine which bark beetle is involved.
Signs and Symptoms of Ips and Black Turpentine Beetle Infestation
Ips and black turpentine beetle infestations can look similar from a distance. A fading crown may tell you a pine is in trouble, but some of the best clues are on the bark itself. Look for pitch tubes, entrance holes, boring dust, and frass.
The location and appearance of those signs can help distinguish one beetle from the other.
| What to Look For | Ips Engraver Beetles | Black Turpentine Beetle |
| Attack Location | Varies by Ips species and may occur along different portions of the trunk and branches | Concentrated on the lower trunk, typically within several feet of the ground but sometimes higher |
| Pitch Tubes | Smaller and less conspicuous; often found on bark plates | Large, conspicuous masses of resin, often about 1 inch across |
| Boring Dust / Frass | Reddish-brown boring material may collect in bark crevices and around attack sites | Frass and boring material are often mixed into the large pitch tubes |
| Crown Symptoms | Needles may fade, yellow, and eventually turn reddish-brown | Needles may fade from green to yellowish-green and eventually reddish-brown |
A particularly notable clue is the black turpentine beetle’s large pitch tubes near the bottom of the trunk. These masses of resin form as the pine tries to defend itself against an attacking beetle. A hole in the center of a pitch tube can indicate that the beetle successfully bored through the bark.
Ips can require a little more detective work. Because several Ips species attack Tennessee pines and may occupy different parts of the tree, identifying an infestation may mean looking at several clues together rather than relying on one telltale symptom.
Crown discoloration is a warning sign for both pests, but it isn’t specific to bark beetles. Fading or browning needles can have several causes, so the crown is best considered alongside other signs on the trunk and branches.
The Recovery Prospects for Trees Infested by Ips or Black Turpentine Beetles
Once Ips beetles have successfully colonized a pine, treatment generally can’t save it. Insecticides can help prevent attacks on healthy, high-value trees, but they can’t reverse the damage in a tree already declining from an established Ips infestation.
Black turpentine beetles are different.
A pine with a limited number of attacks may survive, sometimes without treatment, especially if the tree is otherwise healthy and the source of stress can be corrected. As attacks become more numerous, however, the chances of recovery decline.
That’s why finding a pitch tube doesn’t automatically mean a pine needs to come down. The beetle involved, extent of the infestation, and overall condition of the tree all matter when deciding whether a tree can reasonably be saved.
Treatment and Prevention Options for Ips and Black Turpentine Beetles
The right response depends on which beetle is involved and how far the infestation has progressed. Ips management focuses on prevention and sanitation, while pines with limited black turpentine beetle attacks may still be saved.
Managing Ips Engraver Beetles
Once Ips beetles have successfully colonized a pine, insecticide treatment generally won’t save it. Management instead focuses on protecting healthy trees and reducing opportunities for beetle populations to build.
Helpful management strategies include:
- Manage Infested Pine Material: Remove or properly dispose of infested trees, logs, and fresh pine slash before emerging beetles can move to nearby trees.
- Protect High-Value Pines: Professional pest and disease control may include preventive insecticide treatment when healthy, high-value pines face an elevated risk of attack.
- Reduce Stress: Appropriate watering during drought and avoiding unnecessary root, trunk, and branch injuries can help pines maintain their natural defenses.
Managing Black Turpentine Beetles
Unlike a pine successfully colonized by Ips beetles, a pine with a limited black turpentine beetle attack may still have a chance of recovery. The right response depends on the extent of the attack, the tree’s overall condition, and whether the stress that made it vulnerable can be corrected.
Depending on those factors, management may involve:
- Monitor New Activity: Watch for additional pitch tubes or signs of decline that could indicate attacks are continuing.
- Address the Underlying Stress: Drought, injury, construction damage, or other problems may need attention to give the pine its best chance of recovery.
- Consider Professional Treatment: Insecticide treatment may sometimes be used to protect the tree from additional black turpentine beetle attacks, even though it won’t reach beetles already beneath the bark.
- Remove When Necessary: Extensive attacks, serious decline, or an unacceptable safety risk may make removal the appropriate option.
Ips and Black Turpentine Beetles: FAQ
Here are answers to a few common questions Nashville homeowners have about Ips engraver beetles and black turpentine beetles.
Can Ips beetles kill a healthy pine tree?
It’s possible, but Ips beetles usually target pines that are already stressed, weakened, injured, or dying. Drought, storm damage, construction injuries, and other stresses can make a pine more vulnerable to attack.
What’s the difference between Ips beetles and southern pine beetles?
Both are native bark beetles, but their behavior differs. Southern pine beetles can produce expanding outbreaks that kill groups of trees, while Ips beetles more commonly attack stressed pines individually or in small groups.
Are black turpentine beetle pitch tubes always a sign the tree will die?
No. A pine with a limited black turpentine beetle attack may survive, particularly if the tree is otherwise healthy and the underlying source of stress can be corrected. The number of attacks and the tree’s overall condition help determine whether it has a reasonable chance of recovery.
When are Ips and black turpentine beetles active in Tennessee?
Black turpentine beetle attacks in Tennessee occur primarily from spring through fall. Ips beetle populations also increase rapidly during warm weather and can produce multiple generations in a year.
Can insecticides save a pine that’s already infested?
It depends on the beetle and the extent of the infestation. Insecticides generally can’t save a pine once Ips beetles have successfully colonized it. With a limited black turpentine beetle infestation, professional treatment may sometimes help protect the tree from additional attacks.
Can Ips and black turpentine beetles attack more than one pine tree?
Yes. Both can attack multiple trees when conditions are favorable, particularly where pines are stressed. Unlike southern pine beetle outbreaks, however, Ips and black turpentine beetle damage is more often scattered among individual trees or small groups.
Is a pine with only a few pitch tubes worth saving?
Possibly. A few pitch tubes don’t automatically mean a pine needs to be removed, especially with black turpentine beetles.
An arborist can identify the beetle involved, assess the extent of the attack and the tree’s overall condition, and determine whether monitoring, treatment, or removal makes the most sense.
Protect Your Nashville Pines With AKA Tree Service
Ips engraver beetles and black turpentine beetles may not cause the widespread outbreaks associated with southern pine beetles, but they can still be serious threats to stressed Nashville pines. Knowing what to look for and addressing tree stress early can help reduce the risk of an attack.
If you’ve noticed pitch tubes, boring dust, fading needles, or other changes in your pines, AKA Tree Service’s ISA-certified arborists can identify the problem and assess the tree’s overall condition. Depending on what they find, the right next step may be monitoring, treatment, preventive care, or removal.
Contact AKA Tree Service to schedule an evaluation and give your pines the care they need.
Sources & References
- Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry – “Insects,” Tennessee-specific overview confirming the three Ips species that attack pine trees in the state and their preference for stressed, weakened, dying, or recently cut pines.
https://www.tn.gov/protecttnforests/insects.html - Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry – “IPS Bark Beetles,” overview of Ips bark beetle biology, life cycle, host condition, and management in the Southeast.
https://www.tn.gov/protecttnforests/insects/ips-bark-beetles.html - Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry – “Black Turpentine Beetle,” Tennessee-specific guidance on black turpentine beetle identification, attack patterns, symptoms, activity, and management.
https://www.tn.gov/protecttnforests/insects/black-turpentine-beetle.html - University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture – “A Tennessee Landowner and Practitioner Guide for Establishment and Management of Shortleaf and Other Pines,” guidance on pine species, bark beetle symptoms, risk factors, and pine management in Tennessee.
https://utia.tennessee.edu/publications/wp-content/uploads/sites/269/2023/10/PB1751.pdf - Mississippi State University Extension Service – “Bark Beetles in Urban Pines,” homeowner-focused guidance on Ips and black turpentine beetle identification, tree stress, fresh pine material, preventive treatment, and bark beetle management.
https://extension.msstate.edu/lawn-and-garden/ornamental-plants/bark-beetles-urban-pines - NC State Extension – “Pine Bark Beetles,” comparison of southern pine bark beetles, including attack locations, galleries, pitch tubes, crown symptoms, and management.
https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/pine-bark-beetles - Georgia Forestry Commission – “Pine Bark Beetles in Urban Areas,” guidance on southern pine bark beetle identification, tree stress, prevention, treatment, and sanitation practices in urban landscapes.
https://gatrees.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/PineBarkBeetlesinUrbanAreas.pdf
