Tunnock, Scott

United States. Forest Service. Northern Region. State & Private Forestry

Undetermined

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MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE INFESTATIONSIN THE NORTHERN REGION DURING 1985••••byScott TunnockEntomologistCooperative Forestry and Pest ManagementMissoula, MontanaMark D. McGregorEntomologistCooperative Forestry and Pest ManagementMissoula, MontanaRobert D. OakesBiological TechnicianCooperative Forestry and Pest ManagementMissoula, MontanaHubert E. MeyerBiological TechnicianCooperative Forestry and Pest ManagementMissoula, MontanaReport 86-9August 1986••••••••••TABLE OF CONTENTS FiatBeaverhead National Forest 	 	 1Bitterroot National Forest 	 	 1Custer National Forest 	 	 2Deerlodge National Forest 	 	 3Flathead National Forest 	 	 3Gallatin National Forest 	 	 3Helena National Forest 	 	 4Idaho Panhandle National Forests 	 	 5Kootenai National Forest 	 	 5Lewis and Clark National Forest 	 	 7Lolo National Forest 	 	 7Nezperce National Forest 	 	 8Glacier National Park 	 	 9Yellowstone National Park 	 	 10Blackfeet Indian Reservation 	 	 10Crow Indian Reservation 	 	 10Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation 	 	 10Flathead Indian Reservation 	 	 10Fort Belknap Indian Reservation/Bureau of Land Management 	 	 11Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation 	 	 11Stillwater State Forest 	 	 11Swan River State Forest 	 	 11Thompson River State Forest 	 	 11Craig Mountains, Idaho 	 	 11References 	 	 11••••MOUNTAIN PINE BEETLE INFESTATIONS IN THE NORTHERN REGIONDURING 1985The chronology of mountain pine beetle (MPB) infestations in the NorthernRegion has been documented by McGregor et al. (1985). This report is an updatediscussing changes in MPB infestations from 1984 through 1985.Data in this report were obtained during aerial and ground surveys. Aerialsurveys provided data on number of acres infested and number of "faders" (treeskilled the previous year). On the ground, biological evaluations were made inselected areas on Ranger Districts to obtain data for predicting the trend ofinfestations in important pine stands.Data on acres infested and trees killed per acre should not be compared rojudge what the MPB is doing over an entire National Forest or Ranger District.DEAVERHEAD NATIONAL FORESTThe outbreak on the Beaverhead reporting area decreased from 41,711 acres ofpines (lodgepole [LPP] and whitebark [WBP]) in 1984 to 4,467 acres in 1985(Table 1). Damage was confined to the Madison RD and nearby State and privatelands. It was mainly on the east side of the Tobacco Root Mountains and justnorth of the West Fork of the Madison River (Figure 1). Mortality is expectedto decrease again in 1986 due to the depletion of susceptible host trees.Table 1.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theBeaverhead National Forest, 1984 and 1985.Acres_infested	 t12/4	 1985Ownership LPP WBP LPPMadison Ranger District 27,325 3,162 4,177Sheridan Ranger District 123 -- --$tate,_Rriliptg, other 10,624 477 290TOTAL ACRES 14A072 3.639 4,4671WBP was not separated from LPP during aerial surveysin 1985.BITTERROOT NATIONAL. FOREST The outbreak on the Bitterroot NF decreased from 8,085 acres of pines(lodgepole and ponderosa) in 1984 to 2,400 acres in 1985 (Table 2). Maincenters of ponderosa pine (PP) mortality were southwest of Darby and in theEast Fork of the Bitterroot River drainage. All lodgepole pine mortality wason the West Fork Ranger District, mainly in the Selway-Bitterroot WildernessArea (Figure 2). In 1985, the average number of PP killed per acre in theinfested areas that were surveyed on the Darby Ranger District was 83.4. Thisis double the number killed in 1984. On the Sula Ranger District, mortality inthese areas decreased from 114.4 PP per acre in 1984, to 70 in 1985 (Table 2).-1-Table 2.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle and ponderosapine trees killed per acre in infested areas on two Ranger Districts,Bitterroot National Forest, 1984 and 1985.AverageAcres infested 	 'trees killed/acre  (Total killedAtturship	 Host 12a4 1985 1010ea  1984 1985_1 Pgr_pgit__••12.4	 44.5 83.420.5 114.4 70.0••Darby RD	 PP	 1,043	 925LPP	 0	 0Sula RD	 PP	 357	 0LPP	 41	 0Stevensville RD	 PP	 0	 1LPP	 0	 0West Fork RD	 PP	 266	 29LPP	 3,965	 779State, private, other	 PP	 2,413	 666LPP	 0140.3204.9•TOLTAL§ 	 	 8.085  2.40Q_1__CUSTER NATIONAL FOAESTMortality in PP stands decreased throughout the Custer National Forest in1985. Most damage was on the Sioux Ranger District in the Ekalaka Hills. Onespot of WBP was infested south of Red Lodge (Table 3, Figure 3).Table 3.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theCuster National Forest, 1984 and 1985.Adres infested	  1914_ 	 	 1985	Ownership	 LPP	 PP	 WBP	 LPP	 PP	 WBPAshland RD	 0	 110	 0Beartooth RD	 3	 0	 229	 1	 0	 1Sioux RD	 1	 1,048	 0	 0	 215	 0State, Private. other	 205	 272	 352 	 5 	 264 	 110Iotal,pgres	 209	 1,430	 581 	 6 	 479	 111-2-•0••••••PEERLODGE NATIONAL FOREST The number of acres of LPP infested by the MPB decreased from 7,049 in 1984, to4,986 in 1985 on the Deerlodge NF (Figure 4). Most of the damage was on theJefferson Ranger District in the Homestake Pass area where, although infestedacres decreased, trees killed per acre in infested areas more than doubled(Table 4).Table 4.--Acres of lodgepole pine infested by the mountain pine beetle, andtrees killed per acre in infested areas on the Jefferson RangerDistrict, Deerlodge National Forest, 1984 and 1985.killed/acreIAverageOwpeisbipAcres infested	 !trees Total killedpox acre1984 1985	 'Older	 1984 19151_25.7----Deerlodge RDJefferson RDButte RDPhillipsburg RDState, private..  other346,32971114501	 	0	 I	 __4,943	 I	 26.90	 I20	 1	 --IL I	 --10.8--63.4TOTALS 7.04914,986	 I	 --FLATHEAD  BATIONAL FOREST Mortality in LPP stands increased from 170,124 acres in 1984, to 225,497 acresin 1985 on the Flathead NF. Increases occurred on all Ranger Districts exceptSpotted Bear (Table 5). The greatest increase was on the Tally Lake RangerDistrict west of Kalispell where 99,124 acres were infested (Figure 5). Highaltitude WBP stands and mature steeds of western white pine (WWP) over theFlathead NF are slowly being depleted. On State and private lands, 9,001 acresof PP were infested.An outbreak is starting to develop in the mountains on the east side ofFlathead Lake south of Bigfork. Mortality will increase on the Swan Lake andTally Lake Range' Districts in 1986 (Table 5).GALLATIB BATIONAL FOREST No aerial or ground surveys were made on the Gallatin National Forest during1985 by Forest Pest Management. During 1984, 228,255 acres of LPP and some WBPwere infested by the MPB on this Forest. The outbreak has been steadilydecreasing since 1981 and will probably be close to dying out in 1986.•••••Table 5.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle and treeskilled per acre in infested areas on the Flathead NationalForest, 1984 and 1985.Ownerahip HostAverage treesAcres infested!	 killed per acreTotalkilled_P2r_acre1984	 19851 Older 1984	 1985Glacier View RD LPP 676 921WBP 892 1,107 •WWP 269 245Hungry Horse RD LPP 394 1,331WBP 80 458WWP 851 1,036•Spotted Bear RD LPP 364 292WBP 13 70WWP 113 110Swan Lake RD LPP 17,681 23,279 27.8 19.0 48.9 95.7WBP 21 683 -- •WWP 0 183 -- -.rr 12 62 --Tally Lake RD LPP 56,976 99,124 16.2 33.5 110.4 160.1WWP 1 0 MD MOPP 3 0State, private other LPP 94,033 100,550WBP 0 1WWP 13 316PP 13.567 9.0011•TOTALS 185.959 238.7691	 --HELENA NAILOPAL FOREST Outbreaks in LPP stands decreased from 2,830 acres in 1984, to 1,531 acres in1985, but increased in PP stands from 2 acres in 1984, to 792 acres in 1985(Table 6). Most of the damage in LPP stands is on the Townsend Ranger Districtin the Deep Creek area (Figure 6A). An evaluation in Deep Creek to determinetrees killed per acre in infested areas showed 27.8 old killed trees, 21.2trees killed in 1984, and 24.3 killed in 1985 which totaled 73.3 trees killedper acre. Thia indicates, a slight increase in damage during ; 1985. Damage inPP stands continued on State and private lands in the Wolf Creek area and'increased north of Fort Logan, west of the Smith River (Figure 6B).-4-•••Table 6.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theHelena National Forest, 1984 and 1985.OwnershipAcres infested1984 1985LPP PP LPP PP WBPCanyon Ferry RD 131 0 0 39 0Townsend RD 1,858 0 1,335 0 0Helena RD 0 2 2 169 0Lincoln RD 0 0 5 3 48State. private, other 841 0 189 581 0TOTAL ACRES 2,830 2 1.531 792 48IDAHO PANHANDLE NATIONAL FORESTS Stands of mature WWP continued to be depleted by the MPB throughout northernIdaho. Damage was heaviest on the Bonners Ferry Ranger District and north ofPriest Lake (Table 7). It appears that an outbreak in LPP stands was startedwhen beetles emerged from infested logs stored at a sawmill at Moyle River.Efforts are being made to contain this infestation.Table 7.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theIdaho Panhandle National Forests during 1985.OwnershipAcres infestedWWP PP______ LPPSt. Maries RD 1 0 0Bonners Ferry RD 710 11 41Priest Lake RD 64 0 0State, private,other104 76 326TQTAL ACRES 879 87 367ROOTENAI NATIONAL FORESTThe amount of aci(i,ge op the Kootenai NF infested by the MPB decreased slightlyfrom 1984 to 1985 (Table 8).	 In LPP stands it decreased from 597,477 acres in1984, to 554,979 acres in 1985. In adjacent PP stands infestation increasedfrom 9,927 acres in 1984, to 21,219 acres in 1985. Most of the increasedkilling of PP occurred along the Fisher River. An epidemic is building rapidlyon the Fisher River RD on the east side of Lake Koocanusa near RichardsMountain. From 1984 to 1985, there was an average buildup ratio of 1:7infested lodgepole pine trees per acre. In one stand there were 381 trees/acrethat were killed in 1985. The outbreak is decreasing in the Yaak River areabut will continue to inc. /ease in the southeast quarter of the Kootenai NationalForest (Table 8, Figure 7). In 1985, almost 2 million killed pine trees wererecorded.-5-Cabinet RD	LPP	 2,324	 4,888WWP	 1	 406PP	 3	 2Fisher River RDFortine RDLibby RDLPP	 177,617 174,405WWP	 10	 3PP	 2,949	 9,784LPP	 38,691	 19,291WBP	 210	 0WWP	 151	 0PP	 23	 191LPP	 16,898	 53,070WBP	 3	 202WOO	 408	 94PP	 366	 1,846••- -	58.9	 55.0 63.6	 177.5	5.6	 25.9 51.7	 83.2- - •18.5	 31.3 55.8	 105.6- -••	33.2	 36.1 28.4	 97.7	38.6	 16.0	 5.7	 60.3••Table 8.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle andlodgepole pine trees killed per acre in infested areason five Ranger Districts, Kootenai National Forest,1984 and 1985.••	 OwnershipAverageAcres infested	 trees killed/acmg Total killedHost	 1984	 1985 __Older 1984 1985 	 per acreLPP	 29,758	 28,081WBP	 90	 0WWP	 25	 24PP	 12	 344LPP	 299	 1,433WWP	 87	 320PP	 8	 159Rexford RDTroy RDYaak RD LPP	 107,449	 82,230WWP	 22	 123State, private, other LPP	 224,511	 191,581WBP 0	 60WWP	 11	 9PP	 6,566	 8.893TOTALS	 608.492 577.439-6-••••LEWIS AND CLAIR  NATIONAL FORESTOnly 68 acres of LPP trees were infested on the Lewis and Clark NF during 1985(Table 9). However, in PP stands, damage increased from 1,299 acres in 1984,to 26,630 acres in 1985. Most of this mortality was north and south ofLewistown in the Judith and Snowy Mountains (Figure 8). Chronic damagepersists in PP stands in the Upper Judith River drainage. All areas evaluated,except Borne spcts in the Snowy Mountains, showed that damage decreased in PPstands from 1984 to 1985 (Table 10).Table 9.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theLewis and Clark National Forest, 1984 and 1985.Ownership1984 1985LPP PP LPP PPKings Hill RD 5 80 66 575Judith RD 100 684 0 1,188Musselshell RD 81 100 1 2,744State. private. other 1/33 435 1 22.123TOTAL ACRES 369 1.299 68 26,630Table 10.--Ponderosa pines killed per acre in infested areas onthe Lewis and Clark National Forest, 1984 and 1985.Averagetree§ killed per acre Total killedArea Old	 1984	 1985 per acreMussellshell RD 21.5	 62.5 30.6 114.6Belt RD 3.5	 26.9 21.8 52.2N. side Big Snowies 23.5	 173.4 0 196.9Saowies 7.3	 0 174 24.9LOLO NATIONAL  FORESTThe number of acres of pines infested by the MPB decreased from 58,412 in 1984,to 36,621 in 1985 (Table 11). Lodgepole pine stands are being depleted themost but damage decreased from 48,224 acres in 1984, to 30,582 acres in 1985.The most susceptible LPP stands being infested are on the Plains RangerDistrict and in the Thompson River complex (Figure 9A). In 1985, 4,923 acresof PP were infested. The greatest amount of this damage occurred in the GarnetMountains and in the Blackfoot River drainage (Figure 9B). Infestations seemto be decreasing in LPP stands on the Ninemile and Plains Ranger Districts, butmay increase on the Superior Ranger District (Table 11).•-7-•••Plains RDSuperior RDLPP	 27,665	 13,102PP	 627	 451WBP	 118	 0LPP	 2,089	 374PP	 521	 371WWP	 20	 0Garnet Mtns. LPP	 12	 389PP	 3,344	 2,962TOTAL ACRES 58.412	 36,621Average	 1trees killed/acre 1 Total killedOldkr 1984 19851 pea acre•0 40.0 29.1 69.1•64.2 75.7 47.7 187.6- _36.4 5.4 22.2 64.0 nS- _•State, private,	 LPP	 8,853	 10,057other	 PP	 1,897	 714WBP	 10	 1WWP	 85	 0nn nnnn •nn nn••n• -1--JAcres infested Ownherstiip	 Host	 1984	 1985Missoula RD	 LPP	 202	 0PP	 92	 71Ninemile RD	 LPP	 2,088	 4,225PP	 393	 313WBP	 80	 0WWP	 327	 0Thompson Falls RD LPP	 7,315	 2,205PP	 487	 40WBP	 2,111	 335WWP	 76	 1Seeley Lake RD	 LPP	 0	 230PP	 0	 1WBP	 0	 779Table 11.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle andtrees killed per infested acre on the Lolo National Forest,1984 and 1985.•NEZPERCE NATIONAL FOREST Infestations in LPP stands decreased from 18,042 acres in 1984, to 4,792 acresin 1985 (Table 12). Damage in PP stands is still a minor problem. Evaluationson the Red River and Elk City Ranger Districts indicate the outbreak isstarting to increase again in their LPP stands (Table 12). These two Districtscontain the most MPB damage on the Nezperce National Forest (Figure 10).-8-	 •Ivi•Table 12.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle and lodgepolepine trees killed per acre in infested areas on two RangerDistricts, Nezperce National Forest, 1984 and 1985.	  ---Acres infestedAveragetrees killed/acre	 I Total killedOwnership Host 1984 1985	 I_Dolder 1984 1985 1	 per AC_Slate Cr. RD LPP 0 2PP 0 26Red River RD LPP 13,899 4,257 9.6 0.8 4.1 14.5PP 0 2Elk City RD LPP 3,152 23 5.3 2.4 3.8 11.5PP 0 2State, private, LPP 991 510other PP 0 3 1___ --TOTAL ACRES 11,042 4,825 L.	 --GLACIER NATIONAL PARK The MPB has just about killed all the high-hazardNational Park. In 1985, only 12,412 acres of LPPMost of the damage occurred on the east side fromCanadian border, and along the middle fork of theDamage is still chronic in mature WWP stands on the west side along drainagesflowing into the middle fork of the Flathead River.Table 13.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetlein Glacier National Park, 1984 and 1985.stands of pines in Glacierwere infested (Table 13).St. Mary's Lake north to theFlathead River (Figure 11).Acres jpfeste4 	Year	 LPP	 WBP 	 PP 	 WWP1984	 17,620	 5	 0	 520 Totals18,1451985	 12.412	 1 	58	 12,628-9-•I.YELLOWSTONE NATIONAkTABLThe outbreak in Yellowstone National Park has just about ended. The number ofacres of LPP/WBP type infested decreased from 106,498 in 1984, to 6,929 in1985. Most of this damage is in the Mammoth Hot Springs area and to the south(Figure 12).BLACRFEET INDIAN RESERVATIONThe outbreak in LPP stands on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation has decreasedfrom 8,721 acres in 1984, to 4,188 acres in 1985. Most of the damage is eastof the Belly River adjacent to Glacier National Park (Figure 11). In 1985,10,426 LPP faders were detected on the Reservation.CROW INDIAN RESERVATIONThe outbreak in PP stands within the Rosebud Mountains east of Lodge Grassincreased from 1,247 acres in 1984, to 5,717 acres in 1985 (Figure 13). Anevaluation to determine trees killed per acre showed there was an average of21.9 older killed trees, 22.2 trees killed in 1984, and 28.3 killed in 1985which totaled 72.4 trees killed per acre. This indicates the infestationincreased during 1985.NORTBEBN CHEYENNE INDIAN RESERVATIONDamage in PP stands east of Lame Deer decreased from 3,313 acres in 1984, to2,166 acres in 1985. Only 644 killed trees were detected during 1985 (Figure14).FLATHEAD INDIAN  RESERVATIONDamage in pine stands increased from 2,138 acres in 1984, to 3,887 acres in1985 (Table 14). Most tree killing in LPP stands is occurring in thenorthwestern corner of the Reservation (Figure 15A). Ponderosa pine mortalityis abundant there also, but is occurring throughout the Reservation (Figure15B). In 1985, 908 LPP and 1,511 PP faders were detected on the Reservation.An evaluation in Mill Creek showed that 103 LPP per acre infested were killedin 1984, but none was killed in 1985. This indicates damage is decreasing inthis area.Table 14.--Acres of pines infested by the mountain pine beetle on theFlathead Indian Reservation, 1984 and 1985.Acres infes;.edYear	 LPP	 PP	 WBP	 Totals1984 915 1,223 0 2,138j985 1_,923 1,825 139 3,887•-10-•FORT BELKNAP INDIAN RESERVATION/BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT The outbreak in PP stands in the Little Rocky Mountains decreased from 1,333acres in 1984, to 925 acres in 1985. Most damage is on Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) lands northeast of Zortman (Figure 16). An evaluation on BLMlands shoved there were 100 trees killed per acre in infested areas in 1984, and40 killed in 1985. This indicates the infestation is decreasing in that area.In 1985, 1,172 PP faders were detected in the Little Rocky Mountain area.ROCKY BOY'S INDIAN RESERVATIONThis Reservation was not surveyed during 1985. However, the MPB is at a lowlevel in PP stands and some stands of LPP.STILLWATER STATE FOREST This Forest was not surveyed during 1985. In 1984, 1,336 acres of LPP type wereinfested. Damage probably persisted in 1985.SWAN RIVER STATE FOREST The MPB is at a low level in pine stands on this Forest. In 1985, 28 acres ofWWP, 1 acre of PP, 12 acres of LPP, and 6 acres of WBP were infested. Thisamounted to 53 pine faders. This was a great decrease in damage over 1984 when2,730 acres of LPP were infested on private lands in this area.THOMPSON RIVER STATE FOREST Damage in LPP and PP stands decreased in this area during 1985 (Figure 9). OnState lands, 173 acres of PP were infested and 659 acres of LPP were infested.This amounted to 1,747 pine faders in 1985. No data were computed for damage onprivate lands within the State Forest.CRAIG MOUNTAINS. IDAHO The outbreak persists in the Craig Mountains. Acres infested were not computedfor 1985, but in 1984, 6,257 acres of LPP were infested along with 460 acres ofadjacent PP. A 1985 evaluation to determine average trees killed per acre inLPP stands showed 63.6 old killed trees, 77.6 trees killed in 1984, and 33.6trees killed in 1985 which equaled 174.8 killed trees per acre infested in thisunit. This data indicates the outbreak is decreasing in LPP stands in the CraigMountains.REFERENCE McGregor, M. D. et al. 1985. Status of mountain pine beetle infestations,Northern Region 1984. USDA For. Serv., Coop. For. & Pest Mgmt., Missoula,MT. Report 85-25, 57 pp. illus.••

Mountain pine beetle infestations in the northern region during 1985

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Mountain pine beetle infestations in the northern region during 1985

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