Mountain Pine Beetle

1. Mountain Pine Beetle Dendroctonus ponderosae

2. Background Information on the Mountain Pine Beetle • Species of bark beetle • Native to forests on the west coast of North America from Mexico to central British Columbia • About 5 millimetres long • Black, plain colouring

3. The Problem • Infests most pines including the Ponderosa, Limber, Scots and Lodgepole • Attacks trees under stress • Symbiotic relationship with blue-stained fungus - prevents tree from defending itself • Two reasons the population is exploding: 1] Warmer winter temperatures 2] Better forest fire control

4. How? • Female beetle licks trees until it finds one old enough • Releases pheromones to call male beetles to the site • Trees release toxic resin • Blue-stained fungus stops spread of resin • Phloem layer of tree damaged enough to cut off flow of water and nutrients • Tree starves to death in about two weeks

5. Because the tree does not get its water or nutrients, the needles turn red.

6. This makes it very easy to tell which areas have been effected by the beetles, especially with an aerial view.

9. The Threat • East over the Rocky Mountains, into Alberta • Further north • Boreal forest – accounts for about one third of the world’s woodland • Across the nation

10. The Solution • Controlled forest fires • More logging • Burning dead trees Other Possibilities • Fake pheromones • Breaks in trees • Anti-fungal • Natural Predators • Vary the species

11. MAPS

14. Mountain Pine Beetle Simulation Game (Woohoo)

15. Trial #1 • Second person in each row rolls a die • 1, 2 pass to your right • 3, 4 keep it • 5, 6 pass to your left

16. Trial #2 • Second person in each row rolls a die • 1, 2, 3 pass to your right • 4, 5 keep it • 6 pass to your left

17. Trial #3 • Second person in each row rolls a die • 1, 2, 3 pass to your right • 4, 5 keep it • 6 pass to your left • Fourth person in each row has a second die. If they get the first die and roll a1, 2, or 3, they roll the second die. If that die is a 6, they pass it on. If it’s not, they keep it.

18. Trial #4 • Same thing as #3, but this time at the end, each row thathas their die at the last person gets candy!