Control of this insect is best accomplished by conducting a concerted effort to remove the infested trees from the forest. If infested trees are cut before they have a chance to dry out and begin to decay, they can still be used for lumber or papermaking. In remote areas where logging is not practical, fairly good control can be achieved by simply cutting the infested trees and letting them dry out on the ground. Since healthy, vigorous forests are less susceptible to insect attack, good management can reduce the chances of severe insect damage. In pine forests, this may include periodic thinning to insure that all trees have good access to the sunlight and nutrients needed for rapid growth.
Old trees are less vigorous, so they are likely targets for insect attack.
Sometimes this is an important consideration in determining when a forest should be completely harvested and regenerated. The most important enemy of South Carolina forests is tree disease. The biotic agents may be fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc. Of all types of tree diseases, fungi are the most damaging to our forests. Fungi are simple plants which are incapable of making their own food and must take it from a host organism.