Spruce bark beetles hijack their host tree’s chemical defenses, transforming them into potent weapons against fungal threats.

Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck ...

Bark beetles convert spruce tree defenses into more potent antimicrobials to protect themselves, but a fungus can neutralize ...

Bark beetles may use receptors in their antennae to detect and feast on fungus-infected trees. The Eurasian spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) – found in Europe, Asia and some parts of Africa – ...

At this season, one of the most important features of trees and shrubs really shines: bark. “In winter, with the leaves gone, it’s more exposed, and we can really see it,” says Kris Bachtell, vice ...

Don't stress if you have a tree that's not looking its best in the bark department. You can save a tree with damaged bark by first assessing the type of damage. Once you know the severity, you have a ...

Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena investigated how these plant defenses ...

The seasons are changing from fall to winter, and one of the major changes to the environment is that the deciduous trees have lost their leaves. Evergreen trees may still have green needles, but all ...

The center of a tree or shrub stem (from roots to trunk, branches, and twigs) is woody, composed of xylem cells that conduct water from the roots to the upper parts of the tree. That woody section is ...

Q: About seven years ago, we planted a maple tree. During the second spring, the bark began to split on one side. We asked the nursery where we purchased the tree if this would be a problem. We were ...

Mary Jo DiLonardo has worked in print, online, and broadcast journalism for 25 years and covers nature, health, science, and animals. Young trees sometimes have smooth bark that's unbroken by ridges.