I've had a couple of teachers, Doyle Floyd and Josh Fleming, ask about the cottony looking stuff on pine trees recently and I thought some others of you may have seen it and wondered what it was.  According to James Johnson, Georgia Forestry Commission Forest Health, it is woolly
pine scale.  Here is what he had to say about it.  "These insects give off a cottony wax-like substance that clings to the pine needles (white) and is very noticeable.  Very heavy infestations could result in branch die-back, but most of the time the scale insects run their course and by the end of the summer, no noticeable loss of tree health can be detected.  I suppose it is possible for a (weakened) tree to succumb to these insects, but I've never seen it and we should advise our landowners not to worry about it.  There is no recommended treatment."

The websites below have some other info about this disorder.

Florida pest alert:  http://www.fl-dof.com/Publications/Insects_and_Diseases/insects_cf_woolly_pine_scale.html

GFC information from the forest health guide:  http://www.forestpests.org/gfcbook/cicadaslace.html

I've only seen it on Loblolly and Slash but it is known to occur on all our yellow pine species.

Please remember that since this is a type of scale, it could be used next year in the forestry cde.
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