Might be fungal fruiting bodies, which could indicate internal decay. Maybe somebody from the agriculture ministry can tell you what they are.

Or is it resin? Not a good sign anyway

Thanks for the speedy replies.

It dries white and looks like sawdust at the base, from a distance. Also only occurs in the first 6' of the tree.

I dread the thought of removal as they are about 160' tall

Thanks

SCG

I dread the thought of removal as they are about 160' tall

==>>> you need a certified arborist ...

not a bunch of punks on GW ...

especially if they are withing 150 feet of your house.. or the neighbors.. whether you like them or not ...

ken

Somehow I don't see myself as a "punk".

Ken, I totally agree but sometimes little things can be identified.

While I really hate all the bull pine on my acreage yet they do provide shade, especially when it hit 39.4C today (104F)

But yes, they are too close to my buildings to have a stability issue.

I was hoping there was a little fix for a year as I really can't afford to take care of them this year.

Thanks all.

SCG

Potentially mix of resin/sap and dust from a borer.

The Pitch tube is typical of the Western Pine Beetle(Dendrotonus brecicomis) They typically "prey" on old, mature, and overmature Ponderosa Pine. They are the most destructive pest of Pinus ponderosa. The basal section (ground level up to 6 or 8 feet) is the usual point of attack.

Johnny

That confirms my suspicion. Now can I treat the trees to get rid of them?

SCG

Johnny...you punk!

ya ..

bboy the 20 something long haired tattooed slacker ... punk ...

lol ...

that was exactly what i was thinking when i posted such....; and he took the bait ... lol

i can understand the budget constraints.. i live it every day ...

but i would invest a hundred or two.. in a live.. on site inspection by a professional ...

deferring that.. just baffles me ... and thinking about spraying a 160 foot tree.. humors me ... so you would be down to drilling into the tree and somehow applying some kind of systemic ... and that doesnt sound like a DIY project ...

presuming you have your ID from conifer50 .... i would still hire a professional ...

i wonder if it has any logging value ... though i doubt its conveniently located for ease of removal ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

Hehe, spraying these would be interesting.

Yes they are located such that one cannot fall them. So the logging value is nil as they will have to be chunked. Firewood, maybe but everyone hates it as it is hard to split (knots) and burns fast.

I made a fatal mistake of having some trees removed in the spring. I guess they can smell newly cut wood and flocked here.

Going to speak with a pro right now.

Thanks all for confirming my fear.

SCG

I wondered about beetle debris but that is quite a blob. With climate change these days insect damage to western forests is exploding.

Or is it sequoia pitch moth?
If so, unlikely to kill the tree.

Have a Certified Arborist or two out for an on-site evaluation before you get carried away with drastic measures..