Beech scale at moderate to heavy infestation levels on all medium to large Fagus grandifolia boles. Large trees in declining heath; mortality occuring. Observation locality deciduous woods of Fagus grandifolia and Acer saccharum. Nearby are Betula, Quercus rubra, Thuja occidentalis, Abies balsamea. One perithecium of Neonectria seen on nearby beech tree.
I checked, and this is the first beech observed in Greenville. This is surprising, because it isn't rare -- there are others along the greenway and especially along the river. The backpack in picture 2 is for scale, since this is the largest beech I have found in Greenville. I also uploaded this to document the vandalism which it so far seems to be surviving.
On American Beech tree
on Fagus grandifolia
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/100818619