Bark beetle symptoms are typically indicated by which sign?

• A. Uniform, rapid crown fade; tree killing in groups; entry holes.
• B. Localized wilting of a single branch only.
• C. Resin exudation on roots.
• D. Increased cone production.

Answer: (A)

Bark beetle outbreaks show up as a coordinated decline across trees in a stand, not just a single branch. The most telling signs are a uniform, rapid fade of the crown across multiple trees, often with groups of trees dying together, and visible entry holes in the bark where beetles bore in. These features reflect how beetles attack many trees at once and disrupt the tree’s sap flow. Localized wilting of one branch points to a problem confined to that branch rather than an outbreak. Resin exudation on roots isn’t typical for bark beetles, and increased cone production isn’t a response you’d expect during beetle attack.