Save the pines!!! As soon as you notice a pine on your property that is dying off…have it inspected and possibly removed from your property. The mountain pine bark beetle and the engraver beetle have already left massive scars across the Colorado landscape. We have already encountered cases of the engraver beetle in Colorado Springs. If caught early enough, the affected areas can be trimmed out with the hopes of saving the tree. If the tree has died off completely, the insects will move on to another living tree that is already stressed. They will continue this process over and over again. Here’s what to look for: the crown or top of the tree is dying off, large accumulations of sap on the trunk. Here’s what to listen for: woodpeckers-they are a tell tale sign that insects are in the tree. Some preventative measures are watering and fertilizing the tree to ensure its health. Tree spraying by a professional also helps keep the bugs away. It’s always hard to lose a tree, but if you are proactive, you might just save the forest around you.