Beech bark disease

Symptoms - White wooly wax on the bark is produced by beech scale insects is common and may not lead to beech bark disease. Beech bark disease is becoming more wide-spread and impacts mature trees. Very young or very old tree are rarely affected.

If you see dead patches of bark and tarry sap, this does indicat the first signs of beech bark disease. Later, large areas of bark may die. Leaves turn yellow, however, this can also be due to 'lime-induced chlorosis' on chalky sites and should not be mistaken for the disease. Small red or black bumps, bracket fungi and wood-destroying insects may appear. The trees eventually die and fall over.