Western Balsam Bark Beetle Management

Once you know that your subalpine firs are being attacked by western balsam bark beetles, you will need to take steps to manage it. This can be difficult on your own, as there are some chemical treatments that often need to be applied. The good news is there are companies out there to help you!

Knowing You Have a Western Balsam Bark Beetle Problem

Before you even start management steps, you need to know that this is the type of beetle you have nesting in your trees. It’s difficult to see the external evidence, as much of the damage is on the inside of the bark. You may spot some boring dust from the males, along with a few entrance or exit holes. Some of the symptoms are noticed at the bottom of the trees, making them harder to spot. A professional tree surgeon will know all the right signs to look for. They’ll know the signs from tree needle color changes that happen over time.

Protecting the Other Trees Around

The western balsam bark beetle family will usually remain within one tree for around three years. This does help to protect the other trees around, but you still need to get the population size under control to prevent the destruction of the rest of the forest. Removing the offending tree and any fallen trees will help to promote the health of the rest of the forest.
A professional tree surgeon will want to assess the likely damage to the rest of the forest before taking drastic measures. A risk assessment is needed to determine how likely it is that the beetles will grow to an epidemic level. This means some years of monitoring the situation before taking steps to control, of which there currently aren’t many direct options available.

Preventive sprays are recommended annually for Western balsam bark beetle management to protect your most valuable trees. Contact SprayTech at 720.248.0000 for free estimate on preventive bark beetle spraying.