Mountain Pine Beetles are the greatest threat to our Ponderosa and Lodgepole pine forest in the Colorado region. The good news is that in Colorado the pests’ destruction seems to be on the decline. Did we find the solution to ridding ourselves of the pest? Not really.
Like a barbarian horde, after the pillaging and destruction, the conqueror is forced to find new cities to destroy or leave its army to starve. And when the neighboring cities are too far or non-existent the military force collapses under its own weight.
The MPB has eaten everything making the beetle spread throughout – the forest begins to slow.
Currently, MPB has infested 3.4 million acres since 1996 and has grown by only 31,000 acres in relation to the previous year’s growth of 140,000 acres. Like the many cities conquered by warlords of our history books such as Genghis Khan, the destruction is swift while the reconstruction is slow.
The corpses of the trees create dangers such as fire and tree fall while leaving no room for re-growth, slowing the reconstructive process. The good news is that the lumber prices have gone up giving landowners profitable reasons to cut down the dead trees. This will help speed up re-growth as well as mitigate fire and tree fall dangers.
Mountain Pine Beetle – Tree Damage and Prevention
Mountain Pine Beetle Spraying FAQ
Do You Need Your Trees Sprayed?
In 2013 the threats to your trees are very real with pests such as Mountain Pine Beetle, Ips Beetle, and Ash Borer flying about. What these three pests have in common is that they are all tenacious tree killers that require preventive sprays that are best done in the months of April and May.
Whether you own a Pine, Ash, or Spruce it’s important to keep your tree stress-free and healthy. If the tree is healthy it may be strong enough to defend itself from the pest attack. A quality chemical spray done by licensed arborists is the only way to be sure your tree will survive an attack.
Ips Beetle Prevention through Spraying
Identifying “Clear Winged” Ash Borer
Have you seen sickly pine, spruce, or ash trees in your neighborhood? If so your trees could be next and now is the time to receive a proper chemical spray. This is because these tenacious pests will follow the path of least resistance by choosing the closest tree in the area. Usually, tree-killing pests will attack several trees in an area.
