Show The Herald Journal Logan Utah Friday August 30 2002 — C3 Tens of thousands of Douglas firs have died in the West in the last decade Their killer and unstoppable is miniscule merciless t CODY Wyo(AP)— Drive be a sign of global wanning Because insorts tend to thrive in warmer temperatures some scientists say arming can been seen in the mountain pine beetle spread to higher elevations to bore into wmtebark pine The vast tracts of Douglas and in die faster reproduction fir dial stood green and venercycles of the spruce beetle able for generations are pepThe bark beetle is part of pered and painted with swaths family of similar insects of rusty red and gray known as Scoytidaes For Douglas fir those are “They are very effective the colors of death tree killers" Gibson said The industrious architect “Many bugs feed on leaves or reshaping this forest and many needles but the trees don’t others in the West is barely the die With the bark beetle they size of pencil eraser attack in such numbers that Along the North Fork valley the tree dies within a few weeks” connecting Cody and Yellowstone National Park the DouThe Douglas fir bark beetle leads a short but vigorously glas fir bark beetle has killed 50000 trees in the last two productive life In its one year of existence years Tens of thousands more have been killed since the epithe typical beetle is born in a ' demic started more than a tree reeds on its inner bark decade ago along With thousands of others until the tree is dead and then Although most infestations only last a few flies to die next tree where in there’s end no the beetle reproduces and dies sight years here The beetles don’t generally ' ‘‘For die not few years threaten healthy trees which emit a chemical that the beetles steer clear of Instead they look for trees that are old weakened Freest Serrecently' vice in Rapid City S J) who burned or blown down has studied the North Fork The beetles drill through the beetles “You’re probably outer bark to get to the cam- bial layer between the wood going to see whole hillsides that are going to be red by the and outer bark where sugar end of the summer” from the leaves and needles Bark beetles including the are transported to the roots The beetles lay eggs in the spruce beetle and the mountain pine beetle have recently tree and eventually thoureached epic proportions elsesands of beetles form a sort of where in the West including girdle around the tree cutting Western Montana the Idaho off the flow Of nutrients that panhandle and parts of Colkeep the tree alive orado and Utah The beetle outbreak appears to be the result of a number of along the picturesque North Folk of the Shoshone River east of Yellowstone National Park and it’s tough to mi the changing forest along the rocky valley 3$ Tj-- ii 4 i- - bark-beet- le V if : AP photo Douglas fir bark beetles Onset) have killed thousands of trees in the Shoshone National Forest In recent years The needles on this tree shown last month near Cody Wyo fumed red after a fatal visit from' the beetles: The beetles drill through the outer bark tiding the tree The beetles also carry a fungus which clogs the sapwood and blocks water from going to the roots and crown The trees’ main defense Is to “pitch out” the beetles by secreting enough sap to flood the beetle from the inner layer of bark But in drought years many trees lack enough water to produce sufficient sap to ' defend themselves It only takes a couple weeks for the beetles to kill a tree but it can take up to a year for the tree to show outward signs of the damage Aside from culling older burned trees they moved to neighboring green trees “It’s almost all Douglas fir basically the same age and same size which just makes it perfect habitat for the beetles to keep going and going’-- ’ Allen said “In the last three years they’ve been growing circumstances: A general warming trend over the past few years Years of fire suppression Less logging than normal Densely pack stands of trees that are growing old and weak “It’s kind weaker trees out of the forest die beetles play another important ecological role When the tree dies and falls to the freest floor it provides nutrients to the soil homes for other animals and other natural benefits With fewer trees ‘ more sunlight is also able to reach the forest floor promoting growth of other plants and adding diversity “They are recycling organ- isms When they kill a tree it becomes organic matter in the forest” Bentz said r Although it’s happening at a more prolific rate than usual Bentz said the deadly relation- -' ship between the beetles and the trees is natural “These insects have been around for just as long as Douglas fir it’s a native part of the system that has evolved -- exponentially The populations are just growing and growing” Aggressive fire suppression and relatively little logging along the North Fork have created long stretches of monoculture where treea are the same species and age ' Most of the trees are dry from ' drought and 80 yean old and older— perfect targets for the1 bark beetle Forest managers in Mon- tana Wyoming Idaho and j elsewhere have been scratching their heads trying to figure out what to do about the bark beetles Some treatments have shown limited success Prevent Fall Weeds nil JiliHli J !! 01 r: r Jill 0 with the system" Bentz said “It’s us that think they’re a problem” ' The latest beetle outbreak west of Cody staited 'with the 1988 fires around Yellowstone National Park Bark beetles are attracted to trees that have been injured but not killed by of an ecosystem out of balance There’s more food than they’re used to and bark beetles are oppor-- ( tunists” said Ken Gibson a Forest Service entomologist in Missoula who’s been studying the record outbreak of bark beetles in Western Montana that started in 1997 Othas say the flourishing beetle population might also AP photo Damage done to trees by the Douglas fir bark beetle (lighter areas upper right) is shown near Flagstaff Ariz In this undated aerial photo provided by the University of Arizona ’ fires: the fires the afire Shortly beetles started occupying acres and acres of forest Allen said the beetles found such prime conditions that afire they finished with the Ronnette & Mark Anderson If you enjoy your lawn as much as we do then you probcan’t weeds bear 'tee to ably invading pop up anywhere A gpod fertilization and watering program helps limit the amount of weeds that infiltrate your turf but sometimes it just isn’t enough Fortunately fall is by far the best time of year to control many weeds Have dandelions clover or mallow worked their way into your lawn this summer? When they daire find a way into bur yard we use ferti-loWeed-O'to get them under control It contains Trimec weed killer and when combined with a surfactant will take care' of many of the toughest to control weeds around When using either the Weed-Oconcentrate or the can quick dependable results expect you Fall is also an excellent time to apply a pre emergent herbicide to control many weeds before they germinate Did you see little seed pods forming on your bluegrass late this summer? It is a common problem that most gardeners don’t realize can be easily prevented Those aeed pods come from annual bluegrass that flourishes in the pooler wetter spring weather When the heat of summer arrives it goes to seed then usually dies out By applying a now such as e LawriFood plus Wcjed Preventer containing Barricade you can prevent bluegrass from invading your lawn again next yean Barricade will also prevent cnbgtass spurge goosegrass purslane and many other weeoy grasses and broadleaf weeds Why fight the weeds later when' you can prevent them now? For those difficult to control weeds such as morning glory Canadian thistle and wild violets most med killers won’t finish them off Ferti-loBrush and Stump Killer however has the power to knock out even these pesky menaces Its active ingredient Turflon or Tridopvr works ilbwer than most broadleaf weed killers but makes qp for its lack of speed with guaranteed results Of course it performs wonders on unde-suable brush recently cut stumps and run of die mill weeds ut Weed-n-Fe- ut Labor Day thru 29 Aug DID YOU KNOW? ‘ Fal Is our favorite time to plant trues Shrubs ondperertnlaW it attows ample tlma to get a good root system started before the next Hot season arrives and Winter is not a " problem for our hardy plants FALL CLEARANCE: 20304050 AND 75 OFF Trees are at least 20 Root OFFI Starter Fertilizer any psactMM ' totalng 100 or more with Great Selection of Trees Shrub & v J V- and Perennials Y-- ' r -' y More Plants are arriving j" every Week! ? £ 1 See (and feel) our 5 sample plots of different lawn types an growing side i by side - Including Turtle Turfl " “ " " " " " MWDWP-O"" jk" 1 MON f SAT ' "-T- our SEPT HOURS0 J ' i ’9-- 7 MON-F- 9-- 6 SATURDAYS i" V i' 'V’ Garden Center V 'HJ 'V I Y r' h ? f V psrcauparvfpWhauMhaid after :: jgt: - lS101Hwy89Peny J ANDERSON’SSEED 1 ll demount a m-f v W" 1 norwHwShdniraNw J a -‘Hi "OriexttoMaddoii) A ' UnSt: landscaping 1810 SHwy 89 Retry t 'yV'YvY''" aswdL V V- Vthe let best opportunity td control weeds pass pon’t The cooler temperatures of September and October just such an opportunity l or Perennial (valued at $100 or less)! 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