The above ground spread of oak wilt from sap-feeding beetles is a critical factor in the establishment of new disease centers.
Beetles can carry the deadly oak wilt fungus to fresh wounds.
Making proper pruning cuts and immediately painting the wounds significantly lowers the risk of oak wilt infection. Pruning paint acts as a barrier to the beetles that are attracted to fresh wounds. Hire a professional arborist to prune your trees or delay pruning until the summer or winter months. During spring, from February 1 to June 1, our oaks are most susceptible to oak wilt infection. It is also important to be careful with firewood.