The Mountain Pine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) attacks weak lodgepole pines at first. Trees are weakened by stresses like drought, fire and root disease. Then as the outbreak grows the beetles attack healthy trees.
Kurt Chowanski, a climatologist for the Mountain Research Station says the outbreak spreads in a rings from the infected tree out. Once a tree has been hit by the beetle nothing can be done to save it.
In the photos below you will notice rust-colored trees that have been attacked. Also, the photo of the sap oozing out of the tree is a good example of how lodgepole pines try to defend themselves from the beetles by drowning them in resis.n.
These are some photos of taken by a classmate of mine in Steamboat Springs, Colo. We think these are photos of Mountain Pine Beetles and lodgepole pines. If you know otherwise please let us know in the comment section below.
Tree with sap, photo courtesy of Eric Gordon
Beetle in sap, photo courtesy of Eric Gordon
Beetle killed trees, photo courtesy of Eric Gordon
