What's eating my bosnian pine 'compact gem'?

Bosnian Pine 'Compact Gem' — a slow-growing dwarf — shares the species' general hardiness but its compact form and garden placement mean closer contact with soil pests. Pine aphids, vine weevil grubs (in containers), and pine needle scale are the main threats. Rabbits readily browse dwarf conifers at ground level in winter.

Sticky honeydew and sooty mould; ants farming colonies on stems; slight needle distortion Insecticidal soap spray; introduce beneficial insects; water jet to dislodge in mild infestations

Notched leaf margins from adult feeding at night; root grubs (in containers) sever roots causing wilting Pathogenic nematodes (Steinernema kraussei) applied to moist compost in late summer; imidacloprid container drench

Greyish-white encrustations on needles; needles yellow and drop; tree looks unhealthy overall Horticultural oil in late spring targeting crawlers; remove scale clusters by hand on small dwarf specimens

Bark stripped and shoots nibbled at ground level, especially in winter when other food is scarce Wire mesh guard around the base; plastic spiral tree guards for young specimens