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Mountain Pine Beetle

Although small in size, insects have a very large impact on forest health in Canada. Insects can destroy more wood than forest fires. In 1995 over 1.5 million hectares (ha) of forest in British Columbia was attacked by insects as opposed to less than 100,000 ha of forest burned.

Many species of insects feed on trees or tunnel in wood to lay their eggs. The results can range from slowed tree growth to the death of the tree. At a forest level, insect damage can delay regeneration, shift species composition and affect the quality of water, wildlife and recreation values. In addition, insect damage adds to the fuel loading in the forest, increasing the fire hazard.

At present a very significant outbreak of Mountain Pine Beetle is affecting forests in the BC Interior region, this is the largest outbreak ever recorded in BC.

Bark beetles are small, cylindrical insects that attack and kill mature trees by boring through the bark and mining the phloem - the layer between the bark and wood of a tree. The most important species of bark beetles are the mountain pine beetle, the spruce beetle and the Douglas-fir beetle.

These insects inhabit forests throughout British Columbia. Like forest fires, bark beetles play an important role in the natural life cycle of a forest.

Protecting BC’s forests from pests is a responsibility shared among federal and provincial governments and forest companies. The federal government carries out overview surveys and research, while the provincial government carries out operational surveys, sets policy and administers control measures. Forest companies develop and oversee protection programs on the lands under theirresponsibility.

Click here for more information on the Mountain Pine Beetle
Click here for more information on the role of insects in forest ecosystems