Beware the Mountain Pine Beetle

7117745054 • March 7, 2025

Coming to a tree near you! The Mountain Pine Beetle has made its way into Morrison by route of the 285. Here’s what you need to know.


Mountain pine beetles are one of the most dangerous pests to pine trees- which make up a vast majority of Colorado forests.


These pine beetles enter the tree by burrowing toward the bottom of the trunk before moving upward to the top of the canopy.


In fact, because of this, another symptom of an infestation is seeing the tops of your pines die while the rest of the tree appears in healthy condition.

pine tree treated for mountain pine beetle

Symptoms of Mountain Pine Beetle

And if you have pines in your yard, you’ll definitely want to keep an eye out for any of the following:


  • Pine needles turning a rusty color. During the second summer of infestation, there is usually a lot of needle drop.
  • Boring dust in bark crevices and on the ground adjacent to the tree.
  • Popcorn-shaped masses of resin, or “pitch tubes” can be seen on the trunk. These can vary in color from brown, to pink, or white.


If you have any concerns about your pines, feel free to give us a call! Our arborists will come out to get a closer look at your tree to see if mountain pine beetles have decided to burrow in, or if there are any other ongoing issues.


If our arborists find these pine beetles, we’ll get you on a treatment plan asap. We provide tree spraying services as a form of insect control to keep your trees safe and healthy all year round.


We have a general insect spray that takes care of a wide variety of pests, as well as Ips beetle treatments in the spring and summer. The first spring treatment is to mitigate the first generation of pine beetles before they can do too much damage. 


The second treatment in the summer is to ensure the possibility of a second generation doesn’t spread.


Our tree spraying treatments contain chemicals with a strong bonding agent that lasts around six months after the initial application. Once our sprays adhere to the tree, it only takes about 30 minutes to dry and can only photodegrade due to the sun.


So, even if it rains an hour after the application, the treatment will still work.


Get ahead of the game! We’re already starting the first round of Ips beetle treatments, so if you’re concerned about your pines, give us a call at (303) 806-8733 or fill out a
form to request a free estimate from our certified arborists.

Beware the Mountain Pine Beetle
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