On Wednesday, a fine sunny, warm day, our south-facing windows were covered with little black randomly moving spots, which proved to be Orchestes fagi, Beech leaf-mining weevils. They're waiting impatiently for the beech leaves to emerge and turn much of our property into what you describe, Peter -- dead beech trees. They began the insult last year, and this year I expect a pretty thin canopy by the end of June. That, plus a change in the way water accumulates and sticks around more than it used to, causing some tree dieoff, not to mention much higher and regular winds (and a neighbour who would rather have a well-groomed yard than those pesky natural trees) causing blowdown, all adds up to a seriously challenged bit of forest here on the N. Mountain. Can't wait for the Emerald Ash Borer!