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Why are my trees being attacked?
Bark beetles are a normal part of forest ecosystems where they usually attack and kill weakened trees. If bark beetles attack healthy trees in low numbers, the trees usually have the ability to ‘pitch’ out the beetles and deflect further attack. Trees stressed or damaged by disease, root compaction, drought, fire, defoliating insects or even mechanical damage are less likely to be able to defend themselves from bark beetle attack. Anything that can be done to promote tree vigor and healthy stands will help to reduce the risk of beetle infestation. This includes maintaining adequate spacing between trees (thinning when necessary) and fertilizing and watering trees to help ensure that they remain healthy.
When bark beetle populations reach epidemic levels, as they have over the past several years, even healthy trees can succumb to bark beetle infestation. If there are high beetle populations in your area your trees are at risk.
Attacks start when pioneer beetles recognize the dark silhouette of the tree and sense the attractive terpenes in a suitable tree. Once bark beetles start boring into a tree they release attractive pheromones which draws more beetles to the infestation. When the tree has been mass attacked by a large number of beetles, the pheromone changes from being attractive to being repellant. The repellant signal deters other beetles from attacking the already infested tree. This is a normal part of the insects’ reproductive strategy to ensure that the host is not killed prematurely before the next generation of beetles can emerge to infest new trees.
BeetleBlock™ products are formulated to release effective levels of these natural repellants for a sustained period of time, usually at least three months. Having BeetleBlock™ pheromones released from your trees signals to bark beetles seeking a suitable host that this tree is already fully occupied with bark beetles. With BeetleBlock™ on your trees, bark beetles are likely to continue to look for a suitable host elsewhere
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