What's eating my red spruce?

Red Spruce is most troubled by spruce budworm, a native moth whose caterpillars devastate new growth across eastern North America. Spider mites and spruce gall adelgids also attack. In the southern Appalachians, spruce-fir moss spider and acid rain weaken trees, making them more susceptible. Deer browse is common in its range.

Larvae feed inside buds then on new needles in spring, killing current-year growth; repeated defoliation over 3–5 years can kill mature trees; webbing holds dead needles on branches Apply Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) spray at larval hatch (early June) for light-to-moderate infestations; spinosad or acephate for severe cases; monitor populations with pheromone traps

Stippled, bronze-grey needles with fine webbing on older inner growth; needle drop progresses inward from branch tips; worst in dry, hot spells Horticultural oil dormant spray; insecticidal soap or miticide applied in cool spring weather; ensure adequate soil moisture to reduce stress-driven susceptibility

Pineapple-shaped galls at shoot tips in early summer kill the terminal portion of each affected shoot, reducing growth and altering tree form over many years Systemic imidacloprid soil drench in early spring before bud break; prune galls before they open; dormant oil applications in late winter also effective

Winter browse removes foliage up to 5 feet; repeated browsing on seedlings and saplings can kill young trees or permanently suppress their shape Tree tubes or wire cages for seedlings; tall perimeter fencing (8 ft) for larger plantings; repellent sprays reapplied after rain throughout the dormant season