The Beetle Battle
If you’ve been to Summit County or northern Colorado in the last 3 years, you probably couldn’t help but notice a few dead trees. Thousands of trees devastated by the Mountain Pine Beetle bring up many questions and concerns. One thing that would be nice to know is if they will ever stop their advance. The theories behind the beetle’s prosperity are based on how trees become more vulnerable during warm, dry winters. Sadly, we had 5 of these winters in a row and ended up with many dead trees. The beetle’s larvae are said to die off naturally during the winter when temperatures maintain -30°F or less for 5 at least days, not necessarily uncommon during a Colorado winter. The last two winters, particularly last year, Breckenridge and Keystone were cold and snowy once again and met the qualifications for larvae control. Has there been any news of a retreat in the beetle battle?
For detailed information on the Mountain Pine Beetle, visit http://www.summitpinebeetle.org/ OR http://www.fs.fed.us/r2/bark-beetle/
December 15th, 2008 at 7:03 am
I was looking at some Breckenridge Real Estate earlier this year and noticed some trees on the property I was looking at that had some beetle damage. Have you had any weird inspection reports that mentioned the beetle damage?
May 7th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Do you have any images of the trees that have been infected or is there a way for us to know if we should stay clear of a certain area due to the pine beetle? How has this been effecting the resale value of properties with trees that have been infected?
May 21st, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I have noticed myself that trees have been dying. Hopefully this issue can be fixed soon before Breckenridge and the surrounding areas die off.