Beech bark disease?

[Treeaddict]

I deadwooded a f Grandifolia (murican beech) yesterday and was surprised by the amount of deadwood (picture of quantity below). There were many (15) tips in the upper canopy where bark was missing and dieback occurred. A few 4” leaders were dead as well. I took out part of a living lead as it had decay from tear out below. I noticed the red hard spots on a union. This was the only place with the red spots. Is this beech bark disease? I’ve not seen white waxy substances on the tree before and I’m frequently around it as it’s a neighbors/ friends tree.

They did have a beech snap in half 5 years ago for no apparent reason (I’ve not been up to investigate though) but the bottom half is still thriving.

Thoughts based on this limited information?

 

[The Green One]

This looks like Nectria Canker. I see this more often on Beech as a secondary issue/invader.

 

[Treeaddict]

I wonder, does the Nectria canker need a beech scale infestation in order to take hold or can it be secondary to another stressor or issue?

 

[The Green One]

Nectria Canker (Coral Spot) would take advantage of dying tissue.

The cause of that could be stressors including past Drought that caused dieback of some limbs, an early freeze that caused injury to cambium tissue, poor pruning practices, and even compaction over the Critical root zone of Beech.

You may suggest 2-3" of Mulch over the CRZ, and improve Vigor of the Beech with some limb dieback.

 

[Serf Life]

It’s a combo of the insect and one or two nectria/neonectria spp. so that could be the same fungus but I’m not seeing the indicative pock marks on the bole from the combo.

 

[KTSmith]

To answer Treeaddict, yes, Nectria (in a broad sense) attack of beech is not limited to Beech Bark Disease (BBD). TheGreenOne is on the right track. BBD usually presents as a legion of small cankers (quarter- to half-dollar in size) with the floccose scale insect being much more obvious than the little red perithecia that you have pictured here. Based purely on my view of the images, I'd call this "Coral Spot" or "Nectria canker" that just happens to be on beech.
More on Coral Spot in this older, but useful publication:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_043694.pdf