What's eating my chestnut oak?

Chestnut Oak, common on rocky ridges, is attacked by spongy moth caterpillars, oak skeletonizer, and boring beetles. Its thick bark offers some resistance to fire and mechanical damage. Deer browse seedlings and rub trunks. Squirrels are the dominant acorn predators. Repeated defoliation on dry ridge sites is the most serious threat.

Full crown defoliation in outbreak years; trees on dry, rocky sites with limited water reserves die faster than valley oaks under repeated defoliation Bt spray on young caterpillars; egg mass scraping; consult state forestry agency during regional outbreaks

Upper leaf surface skeletonized leaving dried, papery patches; affected leaves turn brown and cling; unsightly in midsummer Spinosad or Bt spray when young larvae are mining; natural parasitoids usually limit damage; rarely warrants treatment on healthy trees

Branch dieback starting at crown tips; serpentine galleries visible in peeled bark; D-shaped exit holes; most serious after drought or defoliation Water during drought; remove dead limbs; preventive imidacloprid drench for valuable landscape specimens; do not leave slash on site

Browse removes seedlings; antler rubbing girdles or debarks young trunks in autumn; significant regeneration failure in high-deer-density areas Tree shelters and wire guards; repellent sprays; deer fencing for restoration plots