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Insect runs rampant; kills millions of trees in Western Canada


By Stephanie Bonner
September 11, 2008

Pine beetles / dendroctone du pin

Mountain pine beetle infestation is killing trees at an alarming rate in Western Canada. Once helpful to Canada’s forests, the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, has become a hindrance due to Canada’s changing climate. The mountain pine beetle formerly aided new forest growth by getting rid of older, weaker trees and making way for new ones. In previous winters, cold temperatures kept the mountain pine beetles’ population in check, while every spring the smaller surviving population would aid our forests.  As the climate is warming on a global scale, the winters that once controlled this population are less harsh allowing the spring population of pine beetle to grow.

The beetle is about the size of a grain of rice, dark in colour and cylindrical in shape. It kills trees by boring into the bark tunneling within the tree and laying its eggs. The larvae that hatch then feed outwardly from the tunnels. Between these tunnels and a fungus that the beetle emits, trees are not able to garner the nutrients they need to survive. The larvae live in the tree over winter and move onto a new host tree to bore into come spring, leaving the trees they leave behind to die.

With millions of trees dying at such an alarming rate, the impact this destructive beetle will have on wildlife habitat can’t be forgotten. There is no doubt that this epidemic has gotten out of control as a result of the changing climate. While we can’t control how cold our winters will be this year, remember that you can make a difference to reduce your footprint in our forest and across the globe.

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Submitted by S. Nelson, October 8, 2008
The government(s) & companies need to ensure that all new plantings of trees are protected from the beetles, at least as much as they can be. Any use of the already dead wood is important so those trees don't go to waste, so to speak. It is devastating to see so much of this rust colour in the forests and know what it means. Been brought to tears more than a few times when we go travelling. It seems a monumental task to find a way to rid our trees of this destructive beetle without putting at risk, a lot of other innocent insects and wildlife.
Submitted by Kathleen Wallden, September 22, 2008
I think the provincial and federal governments should be ashamed of themselves for permitting this insect to infect the entire province. You can't drive anywhere in the province without seeing the devastation of the beetle. It probably won't stop until it reaches the Pacific Ocean. I understand the federal government is concerned that it will spread to Alberta (if it hasn't already) - what about their concern for BC? Shame on them!
Submitted by Bonnie Martin, September 19, 2008
We live in Kelowna & moved from Chilliwack 2 years ago. Most of the pine trees in our area are pretty much dead & it gives you such a helpless feeling. It appears too late to do anything and you feel someone should have caught this earlier & tried to stop it. At the same time, they are cutting down perfectly healthy trees for lumber. There should be a market of some kind so they could at least use the pine trees for something good. Last weekend we drove back to Chilliwack and the devastation we saw brought me to tears. It's changing the whole landscape of B.C. and it is so sad. My husband and I will therefore try & do what we can to reduce our impact & we hope the Government will be more committed to global warming.
Submitted by OTTO HAENLEIN, September 18, 2008
Although this devastation has been going on for quite a few years, now there seems to be some change in the making, at least economically: A few days ago I read about a company which harvests the beetle-killed trees and uses the wood (pulp?) commercially. My question: How far has research progressed to find a way to counter the beetles' agression?
Submitted by Karen Deby, September 18, 2008
Colorado has always had Pine Beetles and has never had the freezing temp to control them. Yet the beetles were not a problem until recently there too. Seems it must be something other than the "changing climate" that is responsible.

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