 Re: Pine Beetles
over here we havent been hard hit yet but its certain to arrive. im no expert but its like anything else in nature. when large populations of species enjoy prolonged life spans they , with age, become weak and unable fight off enviromental factors that in their youth may not have been a huge problem. many of our larger natural forests have been protected from things like logging, pesticides,invasive species, disease, forest fires, ect. this allowed them to flourish. theyve done well for years but finally mother nature wins again. the lost of many of our pristine forests is inevitable. we need to gear up for the future. plant....plant...plant.
some people think fire is the only way to rid them. fires=notrees=nobeatles=new growth. scientists are trying to use nemitodes to decrease the beatles rate of reproduction.
the pioneer beetles come first...they burrow into bark and lay eggs in the phloem section. they carry a fungus with them as well as pherimones which attraxt other beetles. the fungus block the trees sticky secreation and acts as an anticoagulant in the tree. the tree basically bleed to death turning the needles reddish brown.
hugebonfire! |