Mountain Pine Beetle

Mountain Pine Beetle - Dendroctonus ponderosae (Hopkins)

Forest Insect and Disease Identification and Management Training Manual, USDA, Forest Service, R-1, Timber, Coop. Forestry and Pest Management, Idaho Department of Lands, Bureau of Private Forestry - Insect and Disease Section, Montana Department of State Lands, Division of Forestry

The mountain pine beetle (MPB) is the most aggressive, persistent and destructive bark beetle in the United States and western Canada Lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, whitebark pine, limber pine, and western white pine are most frequently killed in the Northern Region.

Hosts - All western species of pines, native and introduced. Damage - Epidemics in lodgepole and ponderosa pine stands can cause widespread depletion of commercial timber. In pure stands of lodgepole pine, all trees down to 5 inches in diameter may be killed. It is a chronic pest in western white pine stands and kills single trees or small groups each year. Whitebark pine stands at higher elevations also have been seriously affected. Life history - MPB overwinters mostly as larvae within the inner bark. Pupae and callow adults may also overwinter beneath the bark. Larvae pupate at the ends of their feeding galleries in late spring. Adults emerge and attack In June through August. depending on elevation and temperature. Egg galleries are more or less straight and vertical and may extend up to 30 inches long. Eggs are laid along each side of the gallery in individual niches. Both niches and egg galleries are tightly packed with partially digested woody particles, or frass. Eggs hatch and larvae feed until freezing temperatures cause dormancy. Larvae go through four instars before pupating (Amman and Cole 1983). Identification - This is one of few bark beetles that usually makes an obvious pitch tube on the bark surface at the site of attack. Pitch tubes are masses of reddish, amorphous resin mixed with bark and wood borings. "Blind" attacks, where pitch tubes are not formed, are not uncommon in lodgepole pine. Diagnostic characteristics for mountain pine beetle are straight, vertical, frass-filled egg galleries with a crook or "J" at the start. Mature adults are black and about three-sixteenths of an inch long. Infested trees fade within a year from yellowish-green to orange. The second year the needles turn reddish-brown. Fading varies somewhat with tree species, but generally follows a typical pattern.
		Mountain pine beetle adult Photo by USDA Forest Service Region 4 - FHP Archives

		Mountain pine beetle pupae and damage Photo by David McComb

		Panoramic view of damage to Lodgepole Pine at Yellowstone National Park Photo by Jerald E. Dewey, USDA Forest Service

Life stages of Mountain pine beetle		Mountain pine beetle pitch tubes on lodgepole pine Photo by Mark McGregor

Mountain Pine Beetle References and Suggested Readings

Alexander, R. R. 1975. Partial cutting in old-growth lodgepole pine. USDA For. Serv., Rocky Mtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta., Fort Collins, CO. Res. Pap. RM-136. 17 pp.

Amman G. D. 1976. Integrated control of the mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine forests. XVI IUFRO World Congr. Proc., Div. II, pp. 439-446, Oslo, Norway.

Amman, G. D., et al. 1977. Guidelines for reducing losses of lodgepole pine to the mountain pine beetle in unmanaged stands in the Rocky Mountains. USDA For. Serv., lntermtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta, Ogden, UT, Gen. Tech. Rept. INT-36, 19 pp.

Amman, G. D. and W. E. Cole. 1983. Mountain pine beetle dynamics in lodgepole pine forests. Part II: Population dynamics USDA For. Serv. lntermtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta, Ogden. UT, GTR INT-145. 59 pp.

Bollenbacher, B. and K E. Gibson. 1986. Mountain pine beetle: A land managers perspective. USDA For. Serv., Northern Reg., FPM Rept. 86-15. 5 pp.

Borden, J. H., J. E. Conn, L, N, Friskie, B. E. Scott, L J. Chong, H. D. Pierce, Jr., and A. C. Oehlschlager. 1983. Semiochemicals for the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), in British Columbia: baited tree sutdies. Can. J. For. Res., Vol. 13: 325-333.

Borden, J. H., L J. Chong,and T. E. Lacey. 1986. Pre-logging baiting with semiochemicals for the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae, in high hazard stands of lodgepole pine. Forestry Chronicle, Feb. 1986: 20-23.

Borden, J. H., L C. Ryker, L J. Chong, H. D. Pierce, Jr, B. D. Johnston, and A. C. Oehlschlager. 1987. Response of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Scolytidae), to five semiochemicals in British Columbia lodgepole pine forests. Can. J. For.Res., Vol. 17: 118-128.

Cole W.E. and G. D. Amman. 1980. Mountain pine beetle dynamics in lodgepole pine forests. Part I: Course of an infestation. USDA For. Serv., lntermtn. For. & Range Exp.Sta, Ogden, UT, Gen. Tech. Rept. INT-89, 56 pp., Illus.

Cole, W. E., G. D. Amman, and C. E. Jensen. 1985. Mountain pine beetle dynamics in lodgepole pine forests. Part Ill: Sampling and modeling of mountain pine beetle populations. USDA For. Serv., lntermtn. For. & Range Exp. St., Ogden, UT, GTR INT-1 88, 45 pp.

Cole, W. E. and M. 0. McGregor. 1983. Estimating the rate and amount of tree loss from mountain pine beetle infestations. USDA For. Ser., lntermtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta, Ogden, UT, Res. Pap. INT-31 8, 22 pp.

Gibson, K E. and D. D. Bennett. 1985. Carbaryl prevents attacks on lodgeple pine by the mountain pine beetle. J. Forestry 83:2:109-112.

Loveless, R.D. 1981. A hazard rating system for western Montana ponderosa pine stands susceptible to mountain pine beetle. Master of Science Thesis, Univ. of Montana, Misoula, MT. 32 pp.

McCambndge, W. ., G. D. Amman, and G. C. Trostle. 1979. Mountain pine beetle. USDA For. Serv., For. Insect & Disease Leaflet 2. 7 pp. illus.

McGregor, M. D. and D. M. Cole (editors). 1985. Integrating management strategies for the mountain pine beetle with multiple-resource management of lodgepole pine forests. USDA For. Serv., Intermtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta., Ogden, UT, GTR INT-1 74, 68 pp.

Phero Tech. 1987. Technicla Bulletin: Mountain pine beetle management with tree baits. Phero Tech, Inc., 1140 Clark Dr., Vancouver, B.C., Canada.

Safranyik, L, et al. 1974. Management of lodgepole pine to reduce losses from the mountain pine beetle. Can. For. Serv., Pac. For. Res. Cent., Victoria, B.C., For. Tech. Rept. 1, 24 pp.

Safranyik, L. 1982. Alternative solutions: Preventive management and direct control. In Proc. Joint Canada/USA Workshop on MPB related problems in western North America. Can. For. Serv., Pac. For. Res. Cent., Victoria, B.C., PUb. BX-X-230, pp. 29-32.

Sartwell, C. and R. E. Dolph. 1976. Silvicultural and direct control of mountain pine beetle in second growth ponderosa pine. USDA For. Serv., Pac. NW For. & Range Exp.Sta, Portland, OR, Res. Note PNW-26B, 8 pp.

Shore, J. L and L Safranyik. 1992. Susceptibility and risk rating stands for the mountain pine beetle in lodgepole pine stands. Forestry Canada. Pacific and Yukon Region. Info. Rept. BC-X-336, 12 pp.

Stevens, R. E., et al. 1974. Mountain pine beetle in front range ponderosa pine: What it's doing and how to control it. USDA For. Serv., Rocky Mtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta, Fort Collins, CO. Gen. Tech. Rept. RM-12, 4 pp.

Stevens, R E., W. F. McCambndge, and C. B. Edminster. 1980. Risk rating guide for mountain pine beetle in Black Hills ponderosa pine. USDA For. Serv., Rocky Mtn. For. & Range Exp. Sta, Fort Collins, CO, Res. Note RM-385, 2 pp.

[ Back ]