Western spruce budworm defoliated area in the Northern Region has differed significantly across three discrete geographic zones during the past decade. Aerially visible defoliation in northern Idaho increased from 1.7 million acres in 1969 to a high of 2.2 million acres in 1974, and declined to none in 1979. Defoliated...
Mountain pine beetle infestation was detected in stands on the east side of Glacier National Park and the adjacent Blackfeet Indian Reservation in 1979. Infestation in the Park now encompasses an estimated 215,882 acres. About 200 acres are infested on the reservation. In areas sampled, number of trees killed per...
The larch casebearer, Coleophora laricella (Hubner) was first reported attacking western larch, Larix occidentalis, in Idaho in 1957 (Denton, 1958), 71 years after its introduction into Massachusetts from Europe. The apparent successful regulation of this insect in the eastern U.S. by introduced parasites prompted biological control attempts in the West....
Mountain pine beetle populations developed to epidemic level in Glacier National Park in 1972. Buildup ratio of old to newly attacked trees was 1:1.8 from 1976 to 1977. More than 12 million trees are infested on 142,871 acres. Buildup ratio is expected to exceed 1:3 from 1977 to 1978. Management...
Epidemic populations of the western spruce budworm persist in the Northern Region. Aerial surveys made in August 1976 showed a decline in the acreage of aerially visible defoliation. In northern Idaho, the defoliated area dropped from 831,487 acres in 1975 to 655,711 acres in 1976, down 21 percent. Surveys in...
An evaluation during the summer of 1985 showed that parasites were still exerting control on the larch casebearer on the Flathead NF. Parasitism ranged from 4 to 60 percent and averaged 25.2 percent in the 12 areas surveyed. Four species of parasites were involved. The most abundant was Agathis pumila...