When did the pine beetle epidemic start?
The mountain pine beetle outbreak in lodgepole pine forests began in British Columbia (BC) during the mid 1990s, and by 2008 had affected approximately 35 million acres of pine forests.
What caused the pine beetle infestation?
A number of factors—drought, tree diseases, and overcrowding—can make trees more vulnerable to beetle attacks, and in some cases bark beetles may infest weak- ened trees already doomed to die.
How many trees has the pine beetle killed?
More than 102 million trees, mostly conifers, have already died from drought and bark beetles in California. In some communities, up to 85 percent of the forest trees have been killed, becoming dry fuel, just waiting to go up in flames. What can be done?
What is Alberta preventing pine beetle infestations?
Alberta created the Pine Strategy to address the amount of timber susceptible to mountain pine beetle and create a broad cross-section of different tree-age classes in the forest that will be more resilient to threats from destructive insects, disease and wildfire.
Where did the pine beetle originate?
The mountain pine beetle is native to western North America, from northern Mexico to northern British Columbia.
How do you know if a pine tree has pine beetles?
Infestations. Southern pine beetle infestations are characterized by trees with reddish brown crowns surrounded by those with green needles. Obvious signs of infestation include white pitch tubes, running pitch, sawdust at the base of the tree, and many small emergence holes in the bark.
What kills the pine beetle?
Certain insecticides that are labeled for bark beetle control can be used up to the beginning of June each year. These products have ingredients like permethrin, carbaryl and bifienthrin and are made by familiar brands like Sevin and Spectracide. It is important to look for the words “bark beetle control” on the label.
Can pine beetles fly?
Some beetles fly distances more than 30 kilometres while others stay close to home, traveling no more than two metres away to find a new host tree.
What do you do if you have pine beetles?
Southern Pine Beetle: When you have an outbreak
- Cut & remove. This is your most effective option.
- Cut & leave. Identify infested and buffer trees, fell them toward the center of the infestation, and then leave them on the ground.
- Cut, pile & burn.
- Cut & spray.
What are pine beetles good for?
It has trees and plants of different ages, species, heights and genetic make-up. Diversity provides good quality wildlife habitat and helps limit the size of wildfires and insect outbreaks. In the forests of the mountain national parks, the activity of mountain pine beetle plays a role in creating forest diversity.
Is there a mountain pine beetle in Alberta?
About the invasive mountain pine beetle, its impact on forests, and how Alberta is responding to this threat.
How does the mountain pine beetle damage trees?
Mountain pine beetle damage— galleries and blue-stained sapwood. Photo: K. Bleiker, CFS. As populations increase, the mountain pine beetle is able to overwhelm the defences of larger and healthier trees through a rapid, coordinated group or mass attack.
When did the mountain pine beetle epidemic peak?
The epidemic peaked in 2005: total cumulative losses from the outbreak are projected to be 752 million cubic metres (58%) of the merchantable pine volume by 2017, when the epidemic will have largely subsided in British Columbia.
Where does a mountain pine beetle lay its eggs?
Female beetles lay eggs along the sides of vertical galleries that they excavate in the inner bark of the tree. Newly hatched larvae mine away from the egg galleries. Insects usually overwinter as larvae, completing their development the following spring and pupating in June or July.