Beetles

Mountain Pine Beetle and Wildfire Forum
May 4, 2011

Announcement Letter

Agenda

Presentations from May 4 Forum

Videos

2010 MT I&D Conditions Report Executive Summary

Mountain Pine Beetle Lewistown Forum Videos

Verbenone Guidance

Montana's Mountain Pine Beetle Outbreak – A visual tour of beetle ecology, factors in the outbreak, and more.

Quick Reference Card

PBS Mountain Pine Beetle Program

How do I?

Know if my trees have been attacked

Find out which tree species are at risk

Learn about spraying my trees

Learn about using Verbenone

Dispose of my infested trees

Forest Management Options

 

DNRC Pest Management

Mountain Pine Beetle Forum

- Forum Agenda May 8, 2010

Forestry Division Home

DNRC Home

 

Affected Trees

The main hosts for MPB are pines. The native pine hosts in Montana include:

Lodgepole Pine
	Needles	bundles of 2, 1 to 3" long, yellow-green
	Cone	woody, 1 to 2" long, may remain closed, slight prickles
	Bark	thin, flaky, grayish-brown
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USDA

 

Ponderosa Pine
	Needles	bundles of 2 to 3, 3 to 10" long, yellow-green
	Cone	woody, 3 to 6" long, prickles, red-brown
	Bark	young trees very dark, older trees cinnamon, furrowed, blocky
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
Tom DeGomez, University of Arizona, Bugwood.org

 

Western White Pine
	Needles	bundles of 5, 2 to 4", blue-green, soft
	Cone	5 to 12", curved, thin, resinous
	Bark	young trees thin and gray-green, older trees thick, gray, blocky
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
Chris Schnepf, University of Idaho, Bugwood.org

 

Whitebark Pine
	Needles	bundles of 5, 1 to 3", stiff, green
	Cone	woody, 1 1/2 to 3", round, remain closed on tree
	Bark	young trees smooth and gray, older trees datker and scaly
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USDA Forest Service, R6

 

Limber Pine
	Needles	bundles of 5, 1 1/2 to 4", still dark green
	Cone	woody, 3 to 6", open on tree
	Bark	young trees thin, smooth, and gray, older trees dark brown with deep fissures and square plates
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USDA

In addition to these native trees, a number of non-native trees planted in Montana can be attacked. In situations where both native and non-native trees have been in proximity, the non-native trees appear to be preferred.

Scots Pine
	Needles	bundles of 2, stiff, 1 1/2 to 3", blue-green
	Cone	1 1/2 to 2 1/2", oval, yellow-brown
	Bark	orange to red-brown, scaly, ridges on older trees
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
Arbor Day Foundation

 

Eastern White Pine
	Needles	bundles of 5, 3 to 5", flexible, blue-green
	Cone	4 to 7", cylindrical, resinous
	Bark	young trees thin, smooth, gray-green; older trees thick, reddish-brown, scaly to rounded ridges
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USDA

 

Red Pine
	Needles	bundles of 2, 4 to 6 inches, snap when bent
	Cone	1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches, oval, chestnut brown
	Bark	young trees red-brown, flaky; older trees plated
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USDA

 

Austrian Pine
	Needles	bundles of 2, 4 to 6 inches, flexible
	Cone	2 to 3 inches, oval, yellow-brown, slight prickle
	Bark	brown to gray ridges and furrows
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
Bill Cook, Michigan State University, Bugwood.org

Species other than pines have been reported as occasional hosts. They don't always have successful reproduction of the insect. Other native hosts are:

Engelmann Spruce
	Needles	single, 1", 4-sided, sharp, blue-green
	Cone	1 1/2 to 3", thin scales, light brown
	Bark	thin, reddish-brown, scaly, loose
	Additional Identification
	Plants Database
USFS

 

Colordao Blue Spruce
	Needles
	Cone
	Bark
	Additional Identification

 

Additional Identification Resources to Identify Tree Species

Common Trees of the Pacific Northwest

Trees and Shrubs in Montana