A: The Mountain Pine Beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, is a parasite afflicting pine trees in the Rocky Mountain west.

Measuring between 1/8th and 1/3rd of an inch (see Figure 1), the MPB is a black bark beetle that differs from other similar species such as the Ips beetle species in that the wing covers for the MPB are smooth while the wing covers for Ips beetles have spines.

(Leatherman 2005).

Mountain Pine Beetle

A: No. Lodgepole pine and the mountain pine beetle have always co-existed as a natural part of the ecosystem in British Columbia’s interior forests.

A: The fungus can only spread to other pieces of wood and cause more staining if it is actively growing, which is unlikely.

In order to spread it must be alive in wet wood and in prolonged contact with another piece of wet sapwood. By the time a stained log reaches the sawmill the bulk of the fungus is usually dead.

When the fungal threads have used up the food resource (sugars, starch and other tree nutrients) in the specific cells they have colonised, the fungus dies back.

Any live fungi remaining are killed during the kiln drying process.

Canadian dimension lumber that has been kiln-dried for overseas shipping bears a stamp with the initials HT (heattreated) or has paperwork to say it has been heat-treated. The HT stamp indicates that the wood has been heated internally to the international standard of 56ºC for at least 30 minutes.

This temperature kills organisms, such as fungi and insects, that can sometimes be found in wood.

For any existing blue streaks, the pigmentation is permanent and fixed in place - it will not spread further.

A: No. Bluestain fungi are harmless.

Decay fungi cause rot because they have the ability to digest the wood fibres and thus weaken the wood.

Bluestain fungi do not attack wood itself but live on nutrients stored in a small proportion of wood cells.

Mold is a multicolored wooly surface growth with spores that readily become airborne.

It can easily be removed and also doesn't harm the wood.

A: No. Bluestain fungi have not been associated with any human health problems in medical literature.

The fungi do not readily become airborne and therefore cannot affect indoor air quality.

A: No. Tests done at Forintek Canada Corp. and other research laboratories have demonstrated that there is no practical difference in strength between stained and non-stained pine.

Bluestained wood is commonly used for construction in North America.

Please see the Technical page for additional information.

Technical data provided by:

FPInnovations - Forintek Western Region

2665 East Mall

Vancouver, B.C.

Canada V6T 1W5

Telephone: 604 224-3221

Fax: 604 222-5690

A: Yes. For construction and other purposes where strength is required you can use either or both.

Where appearance is important, bluestained wood may or may not be desirable.

Tests show that bluestained wood glues and finishes just as well as non-stained wood.

A: Beetles attack pine trees by laying eggs under the bark. When the eggs hatch, the larvae mine the phloem area beneath the bark and eventually cut off the tree’s supply of nutrients. The beetles also carry a fungus that causes dehydration and inhibits a tree’s natural defences against beetle attacks.

The fungi stains the wood blue or grey.

Despite the discoloration, the wood remains as structurally sound as unattacked pine and can still be used for high-quality products.

A) Dead outer bark

B) Live inner bark (phloem)

C) Live wood (sapwood)

D) Dead wood (heartwood)

A: Forests of mature lodgepole pine are prime habitat for the mountain pine beetle.

The beetle also thrives under warm weather conditions.

The interior of British Columbia has an abundance of mature lodgepole pine, and has experienced several consecutive mild winters and drought-like summers.

Beetle populations in many parts of interior B.C. have increased to epidemic levels as a result.

A: Large areas of dead pine stands represent a potential fire hazard. The Province is directing fuel management activities in beetle areas as recommended in Filmon’s Firestorm Provincial Review report. Harvesting affected stands aids fire management by removing the hazard and breaking the continuity of the fuels.

A: Birds - particularly woodpeckers - enjoy feasting on mountain pine beetles. Beetle larvae can also be susceptible to some parasites and insect predators such as other beetles, flies, and wasps or internal parasitic worms (nematodes).

However, the current epidemic is far beyond the level at which the beetle’s natural enemies can be much help in B.C.’s battle against the beetle.

By spending time under the bark, beetles are less likely to be eaten by predators. However, woodpeckers use their powerful beaks to drill through the bark and eat the beetles. In an area experiencing a beetle outbreak, woodpeckers can eat as many as 30% of the population!

© Parks Canada

A: Beetle attacked timber can be used for anything from standard framing lumber, to value-added wood products, to energy generation.

The beetle-transmitted blue stain has no practical effect on strength properties, gluing characteristics or adhesion of furniture finishes. (See Technical Data)

The Province has been actively encouraging alternate timber processing and value-added industries to use as much beetle timber as possible.

In October 2005 the Ministry of Forests and Range awarded four major forest licences to a renewable energy company interested in salvaging attacked stands for the production of industrial wood pellets for power generation.

A: Not all of the beetle timber has to be logged today.

The timber is expected to retain its commercial value anywhere from five to 18 years after attack (depending on local site conditions).

Research and "shelf-life" modelling continues to be conducted to help determine priority areas where more immediate harvesting is required to recover economic value.

A: The $185-million Northern Development Initiative Trust (with $30 million set aside specifically for mountain pine beetle recovery projects) and the $50-million Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust have been set up to give communities the ability to pursue new opportunities for stimulating economic growth and job creation.

Many forest-dependent communities, through regional groups such as the Cariboo-Chilcotin and Omineca beetle action coalitions, have already begun planning around a transition stage for diversifying and building long-term economic sustainability.

Community support for diversification and stability is a key part of the Canada-B.C. Mountain Pine Beetle Emergency Response.

For more information on the Trust:

- Please Click Here -

A: Several allowable annual cuts have been increased as an emergency measure for salvaging or recovering the greatest value possible from beetle-attacked timber.

The temporary increases have resulted in a surge in harvesting activity in some areas of the central Interior.

However, significant reductions to these allowable annual cuts are inevitable as timber supplies decline and the epidemic finishes running its course.

A: It's important for private landowners with mature pine stands to be vigilant against the mountain pine beetle, and aware of what an infested tree looks like.

If the beetle is present in their timber, property owners have several options available for attempting to limit the spread of the beetle across their land.

For a list of mountain pine beetle signs and indicators, and what private landowners can do to fight back, see the Mountain Pine Beetle in B.C. brochure on the Ministry of Forests web site.

Minister of Forests and Range

Honourable Pat Bell

PO Box 9049, Stn Prov Govt

Victoria BC V8W 9E2

Telephone: 250 387-6240

Fax: 250 387-1040

Email: FOR.Minister@gov.bc.ca

http://www.gov.bc.ca/for/

A: Scientists believe the mountain pine beetle is a tangible threat to other provinces as jackpine, found across the prairies and eastern Canada, is a potential host species for the beetle if predicted climate change expands the range of the beetle.

We’re proposing to spend $21.7 million over three years to spread control treatments that will limit the potential for B.C.’s beetle infestation to advance into Alberta and beyond.

In March 2005, the British Columbia and Alberta governments also signed a memorandum of understanding for $1.65 million for beetle suppression activities along the B.C.-Alberta border.

For the Headwaters Forest District MPB Update

- Please Click Here -

or contact:

Steve Gillette, Forest Health Technician

Headwaters Forest District

(250) 569-3768

A: The Ministry of Forests and Range estimates that as of 2007 the cumulative area of provincial Crown forest affected to some degree (red-attack and grey-attack) was about 13.5 million hectares.

Red-attack and grey-attack are stages of infestation.

Trees turn red after the first year of attack.

In the following year, the trees generally turn grey.

A: In addition to harvesting at the leading edges of what is known as ”green attack,“ a variety of other techniques can be used to manage infestations on a smaller scale. These techniques include:

           Pheremone Trap

A: Some land use plans may need to be revisited, since the current extent of the mountain pine beetle infestation was not envisioned when those land use plans were approved. Some harvesting of beetle-infested trees may need to occur in order to reduce wildfire risks and ensure the values identified in the land use plans are protected as much as possible.

A: You can contact our handy Webpage and Tech Guys at:

Uglytroll's Computer Services

Penticton, British Columbia

the.only.uglytroll@gmail.com