Mountain Pine Beetle (MPB) is a native insect that spends most of its life in the inner bark of ponderosa and limber pine. In large numbers, they will kill the tree. Healthier trees may be able to repel infestation or manage it. Unfortunately, stressed trees in overgrown forests, especially in periods of drought, are very susceptible. Managing your portion of the forest and promoting forest health is the best, and least expensive, defense in protecting your trees. Below are curated articles from trusted sources that address the majority of questions we get concerning MPB. If you have additional questions, feel free to contact our HOA president or a local arborist. This link will take you to a list of tree service companies, compiled by Rotary Wildfire Ready, of companies servicing the front range that have been trained in wildfire mitigation standards advocated by the Colorado State Forest Service and our Elk Creek FD. This list of vendors is provided for your convenience and is not an endorsement of any of the listed companies by our HOA, CSFS, or ECFD.
A good resouce for MPB information is Jefferson County's website, click here. Remember, MPB is a poor flier and lazy. The wind may carry them far and account for disconnected pockets of infestation but the more likely scenario is they will attack the next closest tree. If you already have MPB on your property, you are at great risk of losing many more trees next year if you fail to take action now. Scroll down for more information. |
Mountian Pine Beetle
Frequently Asked Questions |
Mountian Pine Beetle Prevention
In addition to proper forest management aimed at promoting healthy trees, application of pesticides or pheromones can be effective in protecting your trees. Timing is crucial and must be repeated yearly during epidemics and both are costly. Both are preventative and NOT useful for treating trees that are already infested. They are best used judiciously to protect high value trees. Pesticide application MUST be done by a licensed professional who has the proper equipment. Verbenone can be purchased on line and can be a DIY project. Please note that the verbenone pamphlet (link below) is from USFS and should be consider it general guidance. Please adhere to the package insert provided by the manufacurer of the verbenone product purchased for proper application. Verbenone is best suited for mild to moderate MPD activity and pesticide spraying is better for moderate to heavy MPB activity. Neither is 100% effective. |
Mountain Pine Beetle Treatment
Some robust, healthy trees may be able to repel and survive MPB attacks. Unhealthy or stressed trees are far less likely to survive. Once heavily infested, the tree will mostly likely die. The goal is to identify infested trees as early as possible and ensure the larvae deposited by the MPB do not mature and migrate next summer. Starting late October, walk you property looking for signs of MPB and identifying infested trees. The earlier in the season this is done the more options you may have to fell the tree and treat the wood. Only the trunks need be treated and the branches and slash do not require treatment. 1. Smaller trees can be chipped or debarked at anytime prior to beetle maturation. This will expose the larvae to the elements and they will die. Dispersing wood chips on site is perfectly acceptable, poses little fire risk, over time will amded the soil, and is more cost effective. 2.Solar treatment is probably the most commonly used method. There are two methods of solar treatment and they are discussed in the handout below. It is crucial to adhere to proper technique and not every property will have an area suitable for solar treatment. 3.Burning the infested tree trunks before the larvae mature is also effecitve but is limited by concerns about wildfire. Stacking it as firewood to use next year is NOT an option as the larvae can still mature and migrate next summer. 4. Lastly, you may be able to find a sawyer who can mill it and use it for lumber. |