Brown birch trees in both Southcentral and Interior Alaska this summer aren’t signaling an early fall. Rather, they are subject to an infestation of small, leaf-munching larvae. Alaska is in the midst ...

Q: Can you help me figure out what’s likely going on with this river birch tree? The tree has been dropping leaves incessantly since about April/May, hundreds per day. Should this tree be dropping its ...

The pinkish-red spots on your birch’s leaves appear to be erineum patches, which are a type of gall caused by very tiny eriophyid mites feeding on the leaf tissue. You will need a microscope to see ...

The birch trees in this photo appear to have been infested with bronze birch borer, as indicated by the dead upper branches where larvae have disrupted the flow of water and nutrients.

It’s the time of year when yellownecked caterpillars will soon engulf unprotected river birch trees. These pests also feed on blueberry, hickory, maple and oaks, but I have only seen them on river ...

Q. (My) birch tree, planted many years ago, has never really grown full. In the spring, it will get tiny green leaves but (it’s) still very airy and not full foliage. We’ve been told not to prune it.