Dendroctonus mountain pine beetle, spruce beetle, douglasfir beetle. Bark beetles range from canada to mexico and can be found at elevations from sea level to 11,000 feet. Mountain pine beetle factsheet natural resources canada. Extensive beetle kill has resulted in ecosystemwide impacts. Policy makers, forest managers, and the public are concerned that resulting tree mortality will increase fire risk probability. This was the largest outbreak of mountain pine beetle ever recorded. So far, it has not been considered a serious pest in colorado. Mountain pine beetle aerial detection survey of colorado. Hydrologic implications of beetlerelated management and composition of post. The beetle is small, only 24 mm in length, about the size of a grain of rice, and is redbrown to black in color. The mountain pine beetle is a native insect that is roughly the size of a grain of rice fig. Chemical prevention is effective but too costly for largescale use. Noel wygant, one of the pioneers in spruce beetle research. Professor jeff mitton and researchers from the university of colorado explain the connection between the unprecedented mountain pine beetles epidemic and climate change in colorado.
Each individual homeowner can take steps to minimize the impact on their land, speed the recovery of the forest around them, and minimize the danger of wildfire on their property. Mehall1 quick facts mountain pine beetles mpb are the most important insect pest of colorados pine forests. Please understand that that insects do not adhere to mandrawn borders on a map as such they may be found beyond the general reach as showcased on our website. Below, in outline form, are some essential facts gleaned from numerous articles and survey reports. The mountain pine beetle has already left a historic legacy in the british columbian bc forest and it is making its way into areas of the united states as well. Data collected and managed by forest service programs is available in a map service and two downloadable file formats in a shape file and an esri file geodatabase. In addition, beetleinfested trees should be removed before the beetles reproduce and fly to attack new trees, also adding to the costs of forest management. You can filter the list by the topic categories in the menu at the left to help you find. The effects of bark beetles are especially evident in recent years on colorado s western slope, including rocky mountain national park rmnp with a severe epidemic of mountain pine beetle occurring in grand county. Dead trees increase the incidence of wildfires, and may.
Pine trees may survive infestations by this pest, if it is the only species present. Wood described the bc mountain pine beetle as the most destructive insect of mature pine forests in western north america i. Bark beetle management plan environmental assessment. As these dead trees decay, they will emit nearly as much co2 as all of canadas forest fires combined in the last 50 years of the twentieth century.
An ongoing outbreak of mountain pine beetle that started in british columbia in the early 1990s has affected more than 18 million hectares of forest as of 2017, the beetle has migrated well beyond its historic range into northern british columbia and eastward into the boreal forest of northcentral alberta. Tree diseases and insect pests city of fort collins. Recent mountain pine beetle outbreaks, wildfire severity. The beetle attacks and kills lodgepole, ponderosa, sugar, and western white pines. Note that galleries have a sinuous, crisscrossing pattern. Outbreaks tend to be associated with mature douglasfir forests average stand diameters greater than 14 inches at 4. Drought, flooding, disease, or damage from fire, lightening, hail. Its life history and habits are similar to those of the ponderosa pine needle miner. Frye, forester san juan national forest, colorado dedication this paperis dedicated to dr. Quick facts japanese beetle adults chew flower blossoms and leaves of many commonly grown plants. The mountain pine beetle has killed large numbers of the lodgepole pine trees in the northern mountains of the us state of colorado. It has a hard black exoskeleton, and measures approximately 5 mm, about the size of a grain of rice. Jan 17, 2012 epidemic outbreaks of native mountain pine beetle dendroctonus ponderosae. Cranshaw colorado state university extension entomology specialist, and professor, bioagricultural sciences and pest management.
Feb 03, 2016 the mountain pine beetle epidemic in the medicine bowroutt national forest in the southern snowy range near the wyoming colorado state line killed swaths of lodgepole pines. Metadata is available that describes the content, source, and currency of the data. Mountain pine beetle articles colorado encyclopedia. Currently, there are four million acres of lodgepole pine trees on forest service land affected by mountain pine beetle infestation. Oct 21, 2014 recent beetle outbreaks in subalpine forests affected few measures of wildfire severity and did not hinder the ability of lodgepole pine forests to regenerate after fire, suggesting that resilience in subalpine forests is not necessarily impaired by recent mountain pine beetle outbreaks. The mountain pine beetle affects numerous species of western pine, including ponderosa, lodgepole, and the fiveneedle white pine species.
Japanese beetle larvae are a type of white grub that feeds on the roots of grasses. This beetle species has affected almost 4 million acres of forests in southeastern wyoming and northern colorado, since their first signs of outbreak in 1996. Policy makers, forest managers, and the public are concerned that resulting tree mortality will. Colorado fire follows in pine beetles tracks scientific. Apr 01, 2011 professor jeff mitton and researchers from the university of colorado explain the connection between the unprecedented mountain pine beetles epidemic and climate change in colorado. The ponderosa pine needle miner has one generation per year figure 2. Southwest colorado forests under attack by pine beetle the. The mountain pine beetles ability to survive and multiply rapidly is highly sensitive to temperature 2,3 and precipitation. Pine trees that are stressed or weakened are most vulnerable to attack by pine bark beetles.
What is not considered is the fact that the mountain pine beetle is much smaller than the emerald ash borer that was used in the michigan sample. On top of that, the pine beetle epidemic gripping the west is larger than any in recent memory. Southwest colorado forests under attack by pine beetle. The mountain pine beetle epidemic in the medicine bowroutt national forest in the southern snowy range near the wyomingcolorado state line killed swaths of lodgepole pines. Western pine beetle field guide to insects and diseases. Outbreaks tend to be associated with mature douglasfir forests average stand diameters greater than 14 inches at.
The southern pine beetle, dendroctonus frontalis, is the most studied of the southern forest insects. The pine beetle has devastated colorados forests, but. The mountain pine beetle dendroctonus ponderosae is a species of bark beetle native to the forests of western north america from mexico to central british columbia. In recent years, outbreaks have increased mortality rates well above ambient levels within forestlands in the northern and central rockies, in eastern oregon and washington, and as far north as canada. Mountain pine beetle 362 kb pdf for more information about areas impacted by spruce beetle and other insects and diseases on colorados forests, read the 2018 report on the health of colorados forests. Many entomologists point to the record warmth of the last 10 years as a cause.
Adults are best controlled by handpicking or by use of certain insecticide sprays. The mountain pine beetle or its larvae is typically less than 15 inch 5mm long. Effects of mountain pine beetle on fuels and expected fire behavior in lodgepole pine forests, colorado, usa. Interesting facts about the bark beetle animal sake. Forests in central colorado look very different today than they did twenty years ago. Ips beetles are generally not considered as destructive or aggressive as bark beetles in the genus dendroctonus mountain pine beetle, spruce beetle, douglasfir beetle. Quick facts, southern pine beetle biology and control. The effects of bark beetles are especially evident in recent years on colorados western slope, including rocky mountain national park rmnp with a severe epidemic of mountain pine beetle occurring in. Colorados forests and the pine beetle epidemic youtube. Western pine beetle field guide to insects and diseases of.
Mountain pine beetle and ips beetle can be brought into fort collins from infested wood found in our local mountains. Only the southern pine beetle is known to attack healthy trees. The pine beetle has devastated colorados forests, but dead wood supply presents opportunity the colorado state forest service estimated that the beetle killed an eyepopping 3. Beetlekilled trees exhibiting a combination of dark rusty red or brown needles or needles have fallen off, trunks. Douglasfir beetle dendroctonus pseudotsugae, another close relative of the spruce beetle and mountain pine beetle, is an important native bark beetle of mature douglasfir pseudotsuga menziesii forests across most of the west. The mountain pine beetle and ips bark beetle are both native insects of western north america. Genus and species unknown, but it looks very close to the two preceding darkling beetles. Insects are typically drawn to areas by available food supply, weather, environmental factors. Quick facts, southern pine beetle biology and control john l. The mountain pine beetle mpb epidemic in british columbia bc peaked in 2004 and 2005, and by 2012, 53 per cent of the merchantable pine had been attacked. In western north america, the current outbreak of the mountain pine beetle and its microbial associates has destroyed wide areas. Recent mountain pine beetle outbreaks, wildfire severity, and. Mountain pine beetle epidemic killing forests, colorado, usa.
The mountain pine beetle is native to western north america, from northern mexico to northern british columbia. Of all the bark beetle species, the mountain pine beetle has greatly impacted a large area of forests in colorado, wyoming, nebraska, and south dakota. Another darkling beetle, found on 27 october 2011 in colorado springs, co. Southern pine beetle, or spb, is a bark beetle that infests pine trees.
Effects of mountain pine beetle on fuels and expected fire. The mountain pine beetle has affected more than 900 miles 1,400 km of trail, 3,200 miles 5,100 km of road and 21,000 acres 85 km 2 of developed recreation sites over 4,500,000 acres 18,000 km 2 in colorado and southeastern wyoming. May 31, 2012 time to go check the backyard for pine beetles. Mountain pine beetle colorado state forest service. Foltz, forest entomologist university of florida, dept of entomology and nematology. The pine beetle has devastated colorados forests, but dead. Entrance holes, reddish dust in bark crevices, and pitch tubes are indicators of attack. Pine beetle outbreak ends in colorado durango herald. From 1996 to 2016, the pine beetle ripped through more than 3. Normally ips beetles limit their attacks to trees that are in decline due to root injuries, wounding, or other stresses. The mountain pine beetle mpb has many natural predators including insects, parasitoids and woodpeckers. In 1970, volume loss of growing stock to all mortality causes totaled some 6 million ft3 17.
The mountain pine beetle killed twenty million acres of trees in british columbia between the mid 1990s and 2006. Biology of the mountain pine beetle pdf under specific conditions, mountain pine beetle infestations are manageable. It is also present in an isolated population of pine that is surrounded by prairie in the cypress hills area of southwestern saskatchewan, which was likely infested in the early 1980s. The mountain pine beetle dendroctonus ponderosae is a woodboring insect native to western north america and attacks a wide range of pine trees including lodgepole, ponderosa, western white, whitebark, limber and jack.
Applying the assumptions of the mccullough study would require that trees infested with the mountain pine beetle. For more information about pine beetles, how to manage thinning projects appropriately, as well as how to. Egg gallery of western pine beetle on ponderosa pine. Both species of beetle have been impacting a variety of species of pine trees in boulder county for several years now. The mountain pine beetle, dendroctonus ponderosae hopkins, is a member of a group of beetles known as bark beetles. Forest service estimates that by 2012, the majority of lodgepole pines in northern colorado and southern wyoming will be killed by the beetle. Mountain pine beetle 362 kb pdf for more information about areas impacted by spruce beetle and other insects and diseases on colorados forests, read the. Schmid, entomologist rocky mountain frest and range experiment station 1 and r. Mountain pine beetle population dynamics including bionomics, analyses of mortality fac tors, entomological relationships, and the inner workings of a mountain pine beetle population. Normally ips beetles limit their attacks to trees that are in decline due to. Larval feeding in the inner bark and adult mating and egg laying creates mazelike galleries. Epidemic outbreaks of native mountain pine beetle dendroctonus ponderosae. The mountain pine beetle s ability to survive and multiply rapidly is highly sensitive to temperature 2,3 and precipitation.