Both Mountain Pine Beetles and IPS Beetles are currently attacking Colorado Mountain Pine trees at epidemic levels. The first photo shows pitch pockets caused by the Mountain Pine Beetle. Next are two greatly enlarged pictures of Mountain Pine Beetles. IPS beetles look very similar. It takes a magnifying glass to see the small physical differences between Pine Beetles and IPS Beetles. The last picture shows the sawdust that results from IPS beetles boring into a tree. Sawdust is sometimes the only obvious indicator from a distance that the tree is infested with IPS Beetles unless a search is done for entrance holes into the tree.

IPS Beetles complete a reproductive cycle in just 8 weeks and fly whenever the temperatures reach 50 degrees. IPS Beetles have 3 or more reproductive cycles each year in the Colorado Mountains depending on the monthly seasonal temperatures. At present, Pine Beetles complete one reproductive cycle a year. However, both Pine and IPS Beetle behavior due to the epidemic conditions and warming climate temperatures is significantly changing. Both Pine and IPS Beetles flight times have been occurring earlier in the spring and lasting longer into the fall than in the past. It is important to check your trees for evidence of both IPS Beetle and Pine Beetle regularly from early spring through late fall. Fading color of the pine needles can be an indicator that the trees are infested and that time remaining for removal is very short or it may be already too late.

Spraying of trees is only a preventative against Pine and IPS Beetles and must be applied in early April for it to be effective for both Pine Beetles and IPS Beetles. Spraying must be attempted only when there is no snow on the ground around the tree (to prevent ground & well water contamination), no wind at time of spraying and no rain expected for 24 hours. Trees must be sprayed completely around the tree stem and up to where the stem reaches less than 4 inches in diameter. Spraying must be done by a Licensed Professional Tree Spraying Company. Yearly spraying of high value trees is recommended if preventative spraying is chosen by an owner. There is no known spray to kill the beetles once Pine and/or IPS Beetles have infected a tree. Prompt removal is best. Preventative spraying becomes ineffective when epidemic levels get too high.

The best time to eliminate Beetles is before they emerge and move into new trees.  For trees fresh hit by Pine Beetle, late fall is the prime time for removal when temperatures are cool, the tree sap is down and Pine Beetles have stopped flying. IPS Beetle trees should be removed and immediately disposed of before any IPS Beetles emerge no matter what season as their reproductive cycle is shorter and with epidemic levels, they often emerge and kill patches of 25 to 50 trees in the area surrounding the tree they emerged from. All slash and tree stems must be property disposed of as the scent of freshly cut pine limbs attracts more IPS Beetles to the area. Debarking the tree stems and chipping the slash or chipping both the stems and slash destroys both Pine and IPS Beetles. Chips must be broadcast spread no deeper than 2 inches and not piled so they dry quickly to eliminate the cut pine scent.

Some tree companies are selling packets containing Verbenone as a preventative against Pine Beetle attack. We do not recommend the purchase of these packets which can be expensive and are ineffective in Beetle epidemic areas. These packets can have the opposite effect intended and actually draw Pine Beetles to a property and pine trees by giving the message that "Beetles are here". We have cut many Pine Beetle infested trees with Verbenone packets on them. The owners of these trees had placed Verbenone packets on the trees before Pine Beetle flight season hoping to save the trees. Unfortunately, those packets drew beetles right to the trees and those trees required removal along with surrounding trees.

The best defense against Mountain Pine Beetles and IPS Beetles is thinning the Pine trees on your property. Thinning is best done during the late fall, winter and very early Spring while the tree sap is down, temperatures are cool and few beetles may be flying. Our forest lands are overcrowded with too many Pines which stresses all the trees and leads to insect infestation and disease plus increased wildfire risk. We believe in removing less healthy and poor quality trees allowing the better trees to grow and thrive. Less trees means more sunlight, nutrients, water and space for each tree. It also gives room for the next forest to gradually emerge beneath the protective canopy of the older trees.

On Our Certified Tree Farm, the Mystic T Ranch, we utilize the techniques of Forest Enhancement we recommend to our customers. We are actively working on the development and enhancement of our next forest which will last well beyond our lifetime. We see our future forest evolving and we are excited by each step toward renewal. We know that our forest is healthier because we have chosen to be true stewards of our forest land. We try to help other forest owners become the stewards of their forest land.

For further pictures and information on the Mountain Pine Beetle or other insects click onto the CSU Extension Site located on this page.