name:
Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)
size:
Adults are 3.7–7.5 mm in length; females are larger than males
life expectancy:
One year, or two years in cooler weather
life cycle:
Egg > larva > pupa > adult; all stages take place within a host tree’s subcortical tissues except for a few days when the adult beetle is seeking a new host
range:
Bounded until recently by the Pacific coast to the west, northern British Columbia to the north, the Rockies to the east, and northwestern Mexico to the south
host:
Can infect bristlecone, Coulter, foxtail, Jack, limber, lodgepole, piñon, ponderosa, Scotch, sugar, western white, and whitebark pines
vulnerabilities:
Cold temperatures and parasitic worms both hinder egg production; can drown in sap
Mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)
size:
Adults are 3.7–7.5 mm in length; females are larger than males
One year, or two years in cooler weather
life cycle:
Egg > larva > pupa > adult; all stages take place within a host tree’s subcortical tissues except for a few days when the adult beetle is seeking a new host
range:
Bounded until recently by the Pacific coast to the west, northern British Columbia to the north, the Rockies to the east, and northwestern Mexico to the south
host:
Can infect bristlecone, Coulter, foxtail, Jack, limber, lodgepole, piñon, ponderosa, Scotch, sugar, western white, and whitebark pines
vulnerabilities:
Cold temperatures and parasitic worms both hinder egg production; can drown in sap
Comments (1 comments)
Bill: Engagingly written and informative article. February 15, 2008 05:51 EST