Pine Bark Beetles: Detroying 70% of Forests in Some Areas

Pine bark beetles are beetles that wreak havoc on forests by eating them alive much like termites and are found in the Northwest Americas. Usually these beetles have a one year cycle and in most cases die off in the harsh cold winters. However, extreme cold winters have been less common due to global warming and high numbers of female beetles are surviving for a second or third year creating a population explosion of these beetles and entire forests are getting destroyed. It requires a temperature of 25 to 32 degrees to kill the beetles off that reside in the inner bark of these pines: lodgepole, ponderosa, sugar, and western white pines. However if temperatures drop slowly and steadily, a natural alchohol based anti-freeze called glycerol is generated in the beetle which allows them to survive freezing temperature. If a sudden drop in temperature occurs, the beetles will then die off in a day or so. Scientists have no idea of how to stop these beetles from completely destroying entire forests. One thing is clear though, global warming and warmer winters are creating a serious issue with these particular invasive species. With less forests means less carbon dioxide(the most emitted greenhouse gas) is being absorbed.