Washington state sees 'concerning' spread of bark beetles

KING 5 Seattle
KING 5 Seattle
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Published 2024-05-07
A state’s insect expert called the discovery of a tree-killing bark beetle in a Bothell trap “concerning.”

Washington state officials have been tracking the migration of the California fivespined ips from Oregon since the flying insect appeared in the Columbia River Gorge in 1999.

In 2022, U.S. Forest Service Entomologist Beth Willhite identified the beetles in Ponderosa pines on Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Pierce County.

That was as far north as the state thought the insect had migrated, but then reports of pine deaths in University Place, Renton and Seattle were linked to the beetle.

A fivespined ips also recently showed up in the trap in Bothell.

READ MORE: www.king5.com/article/news/local/washington-discov…
All Comments (14)
  • @Graybeard_
    A lot of Scotch Broom in this piece. : /
  • @paijlee1
    Until we harness their natural predators, we need to water the trees if we want to save them.
  • @theck672
    Thanks for this information and covering this issue
  • @zakerismith3083
    We have so many of these beetles over here in eastern Washington on Idaho boarder. Like I mean swarms of them and so many dead trees.
  • @frankblangeard8865
    Both lewis-McChord and Bothell are on the west side of the Cascades. Ponderosa Pines do not belong there. Ponderosa Pines are found on the drier east side of the Cascades.
  • @ElehcimNoskcaj
    So, the bugs smell and prey upon already decaying trees? Sounds like free forest fire prevention to me.
  • @kurtzwar729
    Ponderosa pine are NOT native in Western Washington. They do not do well here. Ponderosa pine like dry climate. Not what Western Washington is about. If the beetles attack Ponderosa pine in Eastern Washington, I would be concerned. The only native pine in Western Washington is the Shore pine.
  • @sidneyvandykeii3169
    So if nothing can be done about the beetles, why are we wasting money tracking them?
  • @snowscout1018
    Im sure if we just raise taxes more then we can conduct some studies and find that there are beetles are moving.. We should probably just raise the taxes to fix this - WA State Gov.