Scots Pine

Eaten by

• Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra

  Beak evolved specifically to extract seeds from closed pine cones. Nearly obligate on conifers.

• Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris

  Forages under the rough scales of Scots Pine bark for spiders and insects; also nests behind loose bark slabs, a nesting habit unique to this family. The association with pine is particularly strong in Scottish Highland populations.

• Spotted NutcrackerNucifraga caryocatactes

  Also extracts and caches Scots Pine seeds as supplementary food source.

Nesting site for

• Crested TitLophophanes cristatus

  Nests almost exclusively in dead Scots Pine wood. Rare outside conifer stands.

• Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius

  Primary nest tree in boreal and eastern European pine forests.

Mycorrhizal partner of

• Slippery JackSuillus luteus

  Highly pine-specific ectomycorrhizal fungus. Rarely found away from Pinus species.

• Fly AgaricAmanita muscaria

  Also partners with pine. Sharing the dual oak/pine association.

• The SickenerRussula emetica

  Obligate ectomycorrhizal partner of Scots Pine on acidic, boggy soils; rarely recorded away from Pinus.

Host of

• Cauliflower FungusSparassis crispa

  A near-obligate root parasite of Scots Pine, fruiting at the tree's base as a spectacular cream-coloured mass of curling fronds. Causes a butt rot that can eventually kill the host, but infected trees may stand for many years.