Laurel wilt tree disease found in Greene and Beaufort County

GREENE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A devastating tree disease known as laurel wilt is infecting both Greene and Beaufort counties.

This disease is caused by the redbay ambrosia beetle, which carries a fungus that it transfers to trees in the laurel family when it burrows inside them.

Once the beetle has gotten inside the tree, the fungus begins to prohibit the tree from moving nutrients up its trunk and into its leaves.

As a result, the tree’s leaves turn brown and cause it to wilt.

People like North Carolina forest health specialist, Jim Mueller, test trees to see where the wilt is spreading.

Mueller told WITN that you can see the wilt when cutting into the bark of the trees. If there’s a black or grey color underneath, it means the tree has been infected. If the beetles inside the tree multiply, they go find another tree to burrow into.

Many other sassafras trees in Greene County are now at risk as well.

The fungus can be spread by bringing infected wood to a new location. Specialists also must use caution when cutting into infected trees when testing.

Mueller says that he and other specialist cleanse their blades with alcohol after each test, to ensure they don’t contribute to the spread.

There are now twenty-one counties in North Carolina with laurel wilt.

Some of those counties include Carteret, Craven, Duplin, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico, Pitt, and Wayne counties.