What happened to all the green? Here's why some pine trees are withering to brown

(Detroit Free Press) Some Michiganders may be noticing a strange phenomenon occurring amongst jack pine trees: the needles of the trees browning and curling, causing the pines to appear barren and dead. Here's what's behind this shift, and what you should know.

What's causing jack pines to turn brown?

Jack pines in Michigan may be withering away thanks to an outbreak of budworm, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Budworm are caterpillars which feed off the needles of jack pine trees, and outbreaks of these critters occur every six to 12 years. After the budworm munch on the jack pines, the damaged tree needles turn a reddish-brown color in early July. Over time, rain, wind and other forces strip the already-damaged trees of their needles, leaving jack pines to appear as skeletons of once full trees.

The last large outbreak of budworm occurred in 2015 and left 118,000 acres of pines defoliated. In 2022 when the current budworm outbreak likely began, 28,000 acres of pines were defoliated. Severe infestations where many trees turn barren can become dangerous fuel for wildfires. .................(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/07/16/brown-jack-pines-in-michigan/70414729007/