Southern pine beetle!!

The southern pine beetle is actually quite small and is incredible destructive to all species of yellow pine. It destroys the trees by laying egg nests underneath the bark which ultimately inhibit the tree from being able to transport water and nutrients within itself. Since 1972 the southern pine beetle has killed almost 250 million dollars worth of pine trees! Apparently the appearances of the SPB is cyclical and epidemic most often occurring around times of drought or flooding ironically. Apparently, long leaf pine is the most resistant to souther pine beetle attack.